← Back to sermon library

That's why we Everyone, it's good to be back in the house of our God. You can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 72 for our call to worship. Psalm 72. I'll read the first seven verses. Beginning in verse one, a Psalm of Solomon. Give the king your judgments, oh God, and your righteousness to the king's son. He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the little hills by righteousness. He will bring justice to the poor of the people. He will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear you as long as the sun and moon endure throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, like showers that water the earth. In his days, the righteous shall flourish and abundance of peace until the moon is no more. Amen. Well, please turn in your hymnbooks to Psalm 68. Psalm 68b as in bravo will stand as we sing together. [Music] Oh Lord, thou has our in the captive in my train. His gifts to the are there with them. Bless the Lord today. Our heavenly [Music] earth for his people. Our God is here to help us. Our God is strong to say. The Lord alone is able to ransom from the grave. Sing to God of the earth. Sing unto God all people and praise his master. He rise in royal tri. [Music] He speaks the mountain before the voice of God. All glory and honor as to God on high. His arm protects his people who is for my holy dwelling by all glory shine. Thou strength thy people [Music] gra. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for this glad hour. We thank you for the privilege that is ours as the bloodbought children of God to gather in to the house of God to worship you. And as we come to the father through the son in the spirit, we just confess that you are indeed the most high. That you are from everlasting to everlasting. We acknowledge your handiwork in creation, your sovereignty and your power and your wisdom and glory and providence. And we see that grace and that mercy displayed so so freely in the gospel of our salvation. We thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for his finished work on our behalf. We thank you for all of the benefits that we have in him. As Paul says, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And as we sing tonight, as we pray tonight, as we consider your word tonight, cause our hearts to be drawn out and worship to the one who is altogether lovely and that one who is chief among 10,000. We ask that you would forgive us now for all of our sins and unrighteousness. We see in the epistles of our our brother, the Apostle Paul. He tells us to let our conduct be worthy of the gospel. We confess it isn't always the case. We confess our remaining sin, our transgression of your holy law, our lack of conformity unto it. Yet, God, we rejoice that there is an advocate with the father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. We bless you that that there is forgiveness with you. And so, please apply that even now. And for any and all here tonight that are dead in their trespasses and sins, we pray that you would awaken them as your uh the voice of God is able to crush the cedars of Lebanon. We pray that you would do that with the hardened hearts of sinners and bring them forth effectually by your spirit to confess uh faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. We ask for your blessing to be upon the saints in Siri. We pray for our brother Cam as he preaches there tonight. God give him the spirit of God. give him the grace of God and give him that commitment to handle handling accurately the word of God. We pray for that body that they would continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Bless the Brethren and Armstrong be with Pastor Ryan and Hans just help these brothers to be faithful and give them wisdom to glorify and honor you in that part of the world. We also continue to pray for our association churches. We thank you for what you're doing here in Western Canada. We pray for this conference that it would be a means of edification and strengthening. We pray God that as we gather together for singing and for praising and for receiving your word word, it would be a a blessed time in the history of all of our churches. And as well, God, our hearts continue to go out to the situation in Myanmar. We pray for your blessing upon Peter. We know that it's been one tragedy after another in that country. We do pray for a ceasefire from the the warfare going on. We pray for help and and relief and aid and those things necessary in the wake of this earthquake. And we pray that you would just give our brother the grace to be able to oversee this project and looking after these many orphans and the ones that continue to be added to their number. God, be merciful to them. We pray as well for the persecuted church throughout this earth. We know that many do not have the freedom that we have. that they don't have the ability to meet freely on a on a Sunday evening in a beautiful day in a in a safe building. God, we pray for your suffering saints that they would be persevering that they would know the joy of the Lord as their strength that they would not shrink back from declaring the whole council of God and that they would suffer faithfully for the cause of God and truth. And be with missionaries all over this earth. We thank you for the reality that we're just part of a small part of a larger hole. We know from our Bibles, from the book of Revelation, that you have purpose to save a great multitude that no man can number. And we rejoice that that work continues to go on unabated. We rejoice in the fact that Jesus has promised to build his church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. We ask God that you would be glorified throughout the earth, that you would be merciful to a multitude of sinners, and that they would see that our God is good. Lord, continue with us now in this time of worship. Guide us by your Holy Spirit. And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, you can turn with me again in your hymbooks to Psalm 25. I'm sorry, Psalm 28. Psalm 28:es 5 to8. Psalm 28 uh stanzas rather 5 [Music] to8 works of God and treat his in justice he will tear them down and never Build them up again. Bless be the Lord for heard the wing for mercy which I made. The Lord God is my strength and shield. I trust in him who sets me. My heart lifted for joy. My thanks to him I gladly sing. The Lord God is his people strength. The saving forress for his king. Oh save your people your own and bless yourit them with the shepher and carry them forever more. [Music] Oh, you can turn in your Bibles to the book of Judges. Judges chapter 8. Judges chapter 8. Still in the Gideon narrative or the Gideon cycle. Remember the overarching approach to the book. The people of God, the covenant people of Israel sin against God. God raises up foreign oppressors. Then they cry out in their distress. And then God raises up deliverers, saviors to bring them relief. Gideon is one such savior. And I'll read beginning in chapter 8 at verse one. Now the men of Ephraim said to him, "Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midionites?" And they reprimanded him sharply. So he said to them, "What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleanings of the great uh gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the v uh vintage of Abazar? God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Orb, and Zeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that. When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the 300 men who were with him crossed over, exhausted, but still in pursuit. Then he said to the men of Sukoth, "Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zeba and Zelman, kings of Midian." And the leaders of Sukoth said, "Are the hands of Zeba and Zelman now in your hand that we should give bread to your army?" So Gideon said, "For this cause, when the Lord has delivered Zeba and Zelina into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briars." Then he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way. And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Sukoth had answered. So he also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying, "When I come back in peace, I will tear down this tower." Now Zeba and Zalina were at Caror, and their armies with them, about 15,000, all who were left of all the army of the people of the east, for 120,000 men who drew the sword had fallen. Then Gideon went up by the road of those who dwell in tents on the east of Nova and Jock Beha. And he attacked the army while the camp felt secure. When Zeba and Zalina fled, he pursued them. And he took the two kings of Midian, Zeba and Zalina, and routed them the whole routed the whole army. Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle from the ascent of Harris. And he caught a young man of the men of Suc and interrogated him. And he wrote down for him the leaders of Sucoth and its elders, 77 men. Then he came to the men of Suc and said, "Here are Zeba and Zelina about whom you ridiculed me, saying, Are the hands of Zeba and Zelina now in your hand that we should give bread to your weary men." And he took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briars. And with them he taught the men of Sucath. Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city. And when he said to Zeba and Zelman, "What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?" So they answered, "As you are, so were they. Each one resembled the son of a king." Then he said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had not let if you had let them live, I would not kill you." And he said to Jethur, his firstborn, "Rise, kill them." But the youth would not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth. So Zeba and Zalman uh said, "Rise yourself and kill us. For as a man is, so is his strength." So Gideon arose and killed Zeba and Zelina, and took the crescent ornaments that were on their camels necks. Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson grandson also, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian." But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you. The Lord shall rule over you. Then Gideon said to them, I would like to make a request of you that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder. For they had golden earrings because they were Ishraelites. So they answered, "We will gladly give them." And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it into it the earrings from his plunder. Now, the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camel<unk>s necks. Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ofra. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house. Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their ha heads no more, and the country was quiet for 40 years in the days of Gideon. Then Jerobel the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. Gideon had 70 sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives. And his concubine, who was in Sheckchham, also bore him a son, whose name he called Aimilec. Now Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father in Ofra of the Abzarites. So it was as soon as Gideon was dead that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the bales and made Baal Berit their god. Thus the children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God who had delivered them from their from the hands of all their enemies on every side. nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerobel Gideon in accordance with the good he had done for Israel. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you that the emphasis in the passage is always upon your power in delivering your people in these various cycles of oppression in the book of Judges. We thank you that even a an imperfect man like Gideon typifies in in some ways the Savior King. And certainly the emphasis that all these these judges appointed in the book of judges were certainly sal uh saviors of their people deliverers but men that were imperfect. We know there's only one perfect one. There's only one true redeemer of God's elect. And we rejoice in our Lord Jesus Christ. We rejoice in the gospel of our salvation. And we thank you that you are there for your people in the midst of hardship, in the midst of affliction, in the midst of trial and travail. And we bless you for this. And we pray now in Jesus name. Amen. Well, you can turn again in your hymn books to number 370. Hymn [Music] 370 glory. Let us sing new songs throughout the world shall ring [Applause] [Music] hallelu Christ my strong unto the throne of Oh hallelu hallelu [Music] hallelu hallelu hallelu holy apostle Holy upon the [Music] mountain. Hallelu. [Music] Hallelu. And with his followers they sing. Jesus resent his majesty. Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. [Music] Hallelu. To the angels calling. I send gaze upon the sky. Hallelu. [Music] Hallelu. This is the savior. We sing. This is his noble triump. [Music] Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. When shall you behold him so as you today have seen him go. [Music] Hallelu. [Music] Hallelu. Glorious standing high to the mortals of the sky. Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. [Music] Hallelujah. Well, please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Philippians. Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2. Our focus tonight will be verses 9 to 11. But I want to read verses 1 to 11. Philippians chapter 2, beginning in 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. Let us pray. Father in heaven, we pray for the spirit of God who gave us this word of God to shine the lights upon our own hearts and minds. Cause us to pursue that mind which was in Christ Jesus in the context of uh killing our selfish ambition, our conceit, our pride. Give us that grace to promote the welfare, the well-being of others to esteem them as better than ourselves. God, we confess at the outset this is difficult. But when we see the light shone upon our Lord Jesus Christ, we see the the blessed pattern, the blessed paradigm. So give us the spirit of God, wisdom from on high, and the grace and enable enablement to uh to comply with what the apostle instructs here. Forgive us now for all sin and unrighteousness. And we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Well, brethren, I got some really bad news before the service here, and I'm not sure how long we're going to go in terms of the uh passage. I can't stop thinking about it. Has nothing to do with anybody here. Uh dear old friend of mine and a situation that affects them. So, I can't release any of the particular information, but it's heartbreaking and uh yeah, so we'll try to look at the exaltation of Christ and hopefully gain some insight and encouragement for our hearts. So notice again chapter 2:es 1:3 a call for mutual uh unity and mutual consideration. There's a prohibition. We see there in verse three, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. And then a positive aspect or positive implication, but in loneliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. And then in verse 5, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. The apostle points to Jesus as the pattern or paradigm for what we're supposed to be about in the context of the church with reference to love and unity. He will do that as well with Timothy in verses 19 to 24 and again with Apapraditis in verses 25 to30. He doesn't say these men are the exact examples of what you ought to be but certainly the things that he says concerning them comport with what he has admonished the church to uh to do in verses 1 to4. So in our consideration of this section in verses 5 to 11, we've seen first the divinity of Christ stressed for us in verses 5 and 6 and then the humility of Christ in verses 7 and 8. And that is specifically illustrated by the incarnation in verse 7 and then the passion of our Lord in verse 8. Now I do not believe that the virtue of humility is proper to God. So the language made himself of no reputation or emptied himself or kinosis displays the virtue of humility in the assumption of our humanity. So the taking the form of a bondervant exemplifies or demonstrates that virtue of humility. Now the passion of our lord in verse 8 we have specifically it said that he humbled himself. So the virtue of humility is indeed proper to a man. And so the statement he humbled himself displays that virtue as well in the savior's personal entire exact and perpetual act of obedience from the womb to the death of Christ and then the passive obedience the death of the cross. So having stated the divinity and the humility Paul moves on to the exaltation of Christ in verses 9 to 11. So there are two things I want to look at. First the nature of his exaltation in verse 9 and then the significance of his exaltation in verses 10 and 11. In terms of the nature of his exaltation, three considerations here. First, the consequence of his humiliation. Second, the cause of his exaltation. And then third, there's a manifestation of his divinity. But with reference to the consequence of his humiliation, again, look at the text. Verse seven, he made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, 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. So Jesus exemplifies in his own life of obedience to the father that humility that Paul is commending to the people of God specifically in verses 1 to4. Now in terms of the consequence of his humiliation that that act of obedience that righteous act of obedience done by our lord there is the obedience of Christ and the sinner in other words what does the sinner derive or what's the sinner benefit from this section of holy scripture specifically verse 8 when we ask the question what does come our way based on this one who 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 then humbling himself. Well, there are several things that we should consider. First, in terms of the obedience of Christ and the sinner, we see the freedom from sin. Freedom from sin. Not the absolute removal of sin, but freedom from sin. Freedom from sin's penalty and freedom from sin's power. And you see that all throughout the New Testament documents. We're freed from the penalty of sin. There is no hell in our future because of what Christ has done. The reason why I'm drawing out these consequences is because verse 9 starts with therefore. In other words, what Jesus has done according to verse 8 specifically at the passion has consequences. He connects this section together. And so for the believer, we have freedom from sin with reference to its penalty and with reference to its power. Paul says in Romans 8, "If by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Paul tells us in Romans 6, "Not to present our members as instruments of unrighteousness." Paul assumes that those freed men under Jesus Christ, those justified freely by God's grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ, now have the presence and the power of the spirit such that they can resist sin and temptation. They don't do it perfectly. We don't do it perfectly. We we await for heaven for that state of perfection. But there is that freedom from the power of sin. Secondly, an obedience of cu uh the obedience of Christ and the sinner is the freedom from bondage to Satan. Freedom from bondage to Satan. You turn to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 2. Uh the author here, the apostle here highlights that reality in Hebrews 2:14. In as much then as the children had partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death. That is the devil. So Christ's act of obedience, Christ's work on the cross, Christ's active and passive obedience and uh renders the devil ineffective to keeping the people of God out of heaven. Turn over to the book of First John. Similar emphasis there in terms of what the devil has been rendered ineffective from 1 John chapter 3 specifically at verse 8. 1 John 3 at verse 8. He who sins is of the devil. For the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. So going back to Philippians chapter 2, we've got freedom from sin. We've got freedom from bondage to Satan. We've got thirdly, freedom from the curse of the law. And here you can go back a little bit to the book of Galatians. Freedom from the curse of the law. As Christians, it's not that it there is no connection to the law with reference to the people of God. We're not under the law as a covenant of works. We're not under the law in terms of we have to obey it perfectly in order to be saved. No. Christ obeyed it perfectly in order that we might be saved. There is that normative use of God's law. When we are saved, justified freely by God's grace, the spirit in us guides us according to the law. In other words, what pleases God, it is revealed in his law. But in terms of the curse of the law, we have been freed from that by the the work of our Lord Jesus. Notice in 3:13 in Galatians, 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 the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. And then Galatians 4 and 5. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. So we got freedom from sin and its penalty and power, freedom from the bondage that we were in in uh in terms of Satan. We have this freedom from the curse of the law, but we positively have freedom of access. Free access as our confession refers to it unto God. You see that emphasis? We saw it when we went through the book of Ephesians in chapter 2 specifically at verses 18 and 22. We come to the father through the son in the spirit in the book of Hebrews that same emphasis. You can turn to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10 where we see that free access because of what Christ has accomplished on our behalf as Paul summarizes in chapter 2:8 in Philippians. Notice in Hebrews 10:19, "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he consecrated for us through the veil, that is his flesh. And having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another. And so much the more as you see the day approaching. It's a wonderful application of all that has gone before in the book of Hebrews up to this point. the emphasis on the superiority of Jesus Christ, the superiority of Jesus Christ's new covenant, the superiority of Jesus Christ's priesthood. All of that comes to fruition in terms of practical application with verse 19. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new new and living way, which he consecrated for us through the veil, that is his flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near. We have free access into the presence of God based on Philippians 2 in terms of what Jesus accomplished on behalf of his people. It's a very encouraging section of holy rit in terms of what God has done in the saving of sinners. But with reference to the consequence of his humiliation, it's Christ and the sinner, but it's Christ and the father. Back to 2:9 in the book of Philippians. So after celebrating the divinity and the humility of Christ, he then says in verse 9, therefore God, therefore God also has highly exalted him. The father approved the work of the son. The father approved the work of the son. And everything that we see in verses 9 to 11 shows that approval, shows that approbation, shows that commenation. Well, Christ certainly had that in his earthly ministry. On the mount of transfiguration, for instance, at the baptism of our Lord Jesus, the father says, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." Well, the trajectory of scripture would suggest that at the finished work of the savior on behalf of the particular task God gave him, God was well pleased. God approved, God affirmed, God commended that particular work. The father raised Christ at the completion of his work. When we look at verse 9, it says, "Therefore, God also has highly exalted him." That highly exalted him assumes resurrection from the dead and ascension on high. It assumes that God did raise Jesus from the dead. And then Jesus ascended on high. He led captivity captive and he gave gifts to men. He took that position of highest authority at the right hand of the father. And again what we are seeing here in terms of verses 9 to 11 is the exaltation of the God man. It is the exaltation of the mediator of the new covenant. Christ according to his divinity was always exalted. Christ according to his divinity cannot be inferior. Christ according to his divin divinity cannot be reduced. He is speaking about the savior. the one who 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 humbling himself from the the womb to death and then that death of the cross the father is well pleased with that work and as a result the father highly exalts him and gives him this name which is above every name so the father exalts the son to the position of highest glory in fact turn to uh acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2 specifically at verses 33-36. Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost is about Jesus. I mean, it kind of is about the tongues and the the the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit, but the tongues and the power and the presence of the hol presence of the Holy Spirit is to make known Jesus. And so when Peter preaches on that day of Pentecost, he preaches who Jesus is. He highlights his true humanity in verse 22. He highlights the death of our Lord Jesus Christ in verse 23. The glorious resurrection of Christ in verses 24-32 and then the ascension, the triumphant exaltation of Christ in verses 33- 36. So notice in verse 33, therefore being exalted to the right hand of God. That's that position of absolute authority and power and dominion and glory. So God raised him and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, "The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your foottool." Again, all of this was prophesied. All of this was was programmatic. All of this was known for those who had the the spirit of God as they reflected upon Psalm 110:1. So then in verse 36, therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ. So the father approved the work of the Lord Jesus. The father raised uh Jesus uh at the completion of his work that led to ascension and then exaltation and this position of highest glory at the right hand of the father. So the consequence of his humiliation with reference to us, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. With reference to the father, Christ fulfilled all of the obligations that were placed upon him as the covenant mediator, as the shity of a better covenant. He executed perfectly that task given to him by the father. Now then, secondly, the cause of his exaltation, going back to Philippians 2:9, therefore God also has highly exalted him. God the father is in view here. Remember our studies in the gospel of John and the first chapter of the book of Ephesians. We remember the doctrine of inseparable operations. It simply means that all three persons of the Godhead are responsible for everything add extra. Everything outside God is due to the one living and true God who is father, son, and holy spirit. There are things appropriated to persons in the trinity to shine the light specifically upon them and as well to illustrate something about the eternal relations of origin. And so that's what's happening here. Therefore, God well and as well the mediator Christ God also has highly exalted him. Highly exalted him. The implication of this is consistent with what I was trying to say before. The father was pleased with the son's work. The father was pleased with the son's work such that he exalts the son to the right hand and gives him that position of ma majesty and glory. You see a similar emphasis in Ephesians 1. You can turn there. Ephesians chapter 1 when the apostle Paul wants to illustrate what God's power looks like. He points to the resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of our Lord Jesus. Notice in 119 he says, "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come." And he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. So that appro approbation of the father for the son is seen in the exaltation of the redeemer to that position at the right hand of god where he has all authority and power. In terms of the particular language notice again in 29 therefore god also has highly exalted him. He could have just said exalted but he says highly exalted him. Uh Matthew P explains the Greek elegancy imports super exalted or exalted with exaltation. This isn't you know just some another king and another kingdom. He is in the language of the book of revelation king of kings and lord of lords. So the Greek elegancy imports super exalted or exalted with all exaltation answering his gradual humiliation above the grave in his resurrection the earth and his ascension and above the heavens at his father's right hand upon the throne of his glory to judge the world. And then we move thirdly under this head the uh the nature of his exaltation to the manifestation of his divinity. Notice again in 2:9 therefore God also has highly exalted and given him the name which is above every name. Think that's language just multiplying the reality that he's exalted super exalted exalted above the exalted. But what's this name? Some have supposed the name of Jesus. Well there's people named Jesus in the world presently. And when you hear that name, you don't necessarily fall down and confess that. Is it son of God? Is it is it some other particular title that has been applied to our Lord Jesus? I think there's a bit of a help to us here with reference to John 17 in the high priestly prayer. Remember what Jesus says in John 17:6, I have manifested your name to them. There we said it's not a particular name of God. It's not Yahweh. It's not Jehovah. It's not the most high, but it's all that God is. His perfections, his his his uh his will, his power, his glory. I I think that's what Paul is saying here that the ascension and then the exaltation and what we now call the current session of Christ at the right hand of the father is that capstone manifestation that the one enthroned is in fact the divine son the only begotten son who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven who took on our flesh who lived for us who died for us and was raised again for us. That name represents all that Jesus is in terms of his people and in terms of his relation to God. As we consider this, we need to understand that while Jesus in the flesh in his earthly ministry, there was a veiling. We sing that hymn at Christmas time. Veiled in flesh, the Godhead sea, hail the incarnate deity. Now, some have messed with that word veiling. And with veiling, they empty Christ of his divinity. That's not what I mean by that. But if you were walking down the streets of Jerusalem and you saw Jesus walking down the street uh opposite you, you wouldn't have seen the the divine majesty. Now, there were instances where it was peeled away at the mount of transfiguration. So, Christ's uh humanity was a veil of that divinity. Again, not that there wasn't divinity. Divinity can't stop being divinity. That's essential to divinity to be. And so Jesus never ceased to be what he was when he took on what he was not in the assumption of our humanity in some sense that divinity was veiled. I don't think the himmwriter is wrong. I think there's heretics that mess with that language veiling just like heretics mess with the language of emptying. Emptying was obviously the choice by Paul. So it's good language and it's something that we should retain. But because of heretics and their filthy hands on sacred texts, we need to make sure we qualify. So the veil of his humanity, the veil in his death, what you had there was the impassible suffering. What you had there was God dying in the flesh. The clarity at his resurrection. I think that's what's going on in verse 9. Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name. I think there's a parallel in Romans chapter 1 and verse 4. He is declared to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. That resurrection from the dead was the manifest evidence that all that Jesus had said, all that was testified concerning him in the prophets had come to fruition. such that now that he's at the right hand of the father, he has that name, his perfections, his works, his power, his glory. That's the emphasis. Gil says, not made as he is said to be before when his incarnation is spoken of, nor did he begin to be the son of God when he was made of the seed of David, but he the son of God who existed as such from everlasting was manifested in the flesh or human nature. And this his divine sunship and proper deity are declared and made evident. We just read in Acts 2:36, God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ. He didn't make him Lord and Christ at the death and then the resurrection. He was Lord and Christ, but he made it manifest that he is both Lord and Christ. And I think that's the emphasis here in verse 9. He gave him the name which is above every name. And the clarity at his exaltation to display that. Turn back to the book of Matthew in Matthew chapter 26. Matthew chapter 26. The exaltation, the session of our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrates his identity as the divine son. before the Sanhedrin. Verse 62 of Matthew 26, the high priest arose and said to him, "Do you answer nothing? What is it these men testify against you?" But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to him, "I put you under oath by the living God. Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven. That's his response to there putting him under this oath. Tell us if you are the Christ, the son of God. He says, I am absolutely the Christ, the son of God. And that's going to be crystal clear to you. And I think specifically with reference to the coming of judgment in AD70, that will be the testimony, the manifestation, the the the the publication that Christ is who Christ said he was, the word who became flesh and dwelt among us. And then let's look finally in verses 10 and 11 at the significance of the exaltation. So he's given him that name which is above every name. And then in terms of the significance there is an acknowledgement by all creatures and the manifestation of the glory of God the man uh acknowledgment by all creatures verses 10 and 11a. So the identification of the exalted one notice again verse 10 that at the name of Jesus he uses the name of Jesus I think Zanki is right the name of Jesus is the name of the one person who consists in two natures human and divine. Again, there's no exaltation for the second person of the Trinity that he didn't already have. But the one who assumed our humanity, lived for us, died for us, and was raised again for us. The father's approbation and and pleasure with him bestowed upon him this glory, this power, this majesty, this mediatorial kingdom. So, he's at this position. Notice the submission of all creatures, the submission of all creatures. And I think this is a scary passage if you're not a Christian because right now you do not submit to the Lord. Right now you do not confess faith in Jesus Christ. But one day you will. There's a voluntary and an involuntary submission. Voluntary is when preachers say you need to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And by God's grace and the power of his spirit, you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You confess him as Lord. You receive his benefits, his blessings, all the things that he has he has procured in terms of the crosswork. But everybody will acknowledge even if it's to be dragged out of hell, make that acknowledgement and thrown back into hell. Every knee shall bow. every tongue confess, not just every believer knee, not just every believing tongue, but look at the language that the apostle uses here. And this every knee shall bow obviously means submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, there's voluntary submission. Those who have been won by the Savior through the proclamation of the truth, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we voluntarily submit and we voluntarily confess. There will be those those mockers living in our present age. Oh, that Jesus, he's a fake or he's a fraud or he was a, you know, a revolutionary at best or whatever it is that they want to predicate of him. No, there's a time coming when every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess. I've always thought now's the better time to confess and to bow. Now's the better time to look and to live. Now is the better time to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ such that you enjoy the benefits versus confessing, submitting by compulsion again to then be cast off because you're an impenitent unbelieving sinner. So that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, angels and men, of those on earth, living men, saved and unsaved, those who dwell on the earth, and those under the earth, likely the dead. The apostles creed says he will come to judge the living and the dead. In other words, the emphasis of the apostle is that the entirety of the cosmos, every rational being will submit the knee, will bow the knee rather in submission to the Lord of glory. Why? Because he's got this position of absolute glory and majesty and power. He got it because of what he had done in terms of the covenant with his father. He got it based on the father's approbation of him, commendation of him, and his stationing of him at the right hand. Every knee shall bow. And then notice in verse 11, and that every tongue should confess. We know that confessing with the tongue according to Romans chapter 10 is absolutely crucial in terms of salvation. If you confess with your mouth, if you confess with your mouth. But the text that seems to be behind the scenes here is a text that Paul uses with reference to application to Jesus Christ in Romans 14:11 that interestingly is Isaiah the prophet. So what is predicated of Yahweh in old covenant language is now predicated of Jesus in these particular illusions or quotations. Isaiah 45:23, I have sworn by myself. The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. If if Jesus isn't God, then Paul is doing horrible things in Philippians 2 5-11. If Jesus is not God, then what Paul is doing is completely contrary to that idea. You cannot escape Jesus is God in Philippians 2:5-11. So the entirety of the created order, rational beings, angels and men are going to submit. They're going to bow the knee. They are going to confess that he is Lord and all that to the glory of God. What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. What was the chief end of our Lord Jesus Christ? To glorify God and to enjoy him forever. That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Turn to the book of Revelation in Revelation 5. Revelation 5 specifically at verses 8 to 14. Now when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals. For you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth." Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne. The living creatures and the elders and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who is slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb forever and ever. Then the four living creatures said amen. And the 24 elders fell down and worshiped him who lives forever and ever. So right now is the day of salvation. Right now is the time by God's grace to come to the Lord Jesus Christ. To confess him as Lord and Savior and to know him experientially as that for you versus confessing in your shame, confessing in your sin on that final day that he is Lord and Savior, but not for you personally as well. This confessing with the tongue, turn to Romans chapter 10. And it it's such a beautifully sublime and wonderful expression of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans chap 10 specifically at verse 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. I know there's a temptation to load that verse up with a whole bunch of other stuff. I know there's a temptation to load that verse up with a whole bunch of other stuff and get rid of this and stop going there and don't do that and go to this church and read this confession. I I mean it it it can't just be that, can it? I mean, after all, that'll provoke or yield easy belieism. We're we're we're horrified at the thought of easy belieism. So much so that we'll deny faith in Jesus as the instrument of salvation. Yeah, there's fakes. I I hate to break it to you. All that glitters is not gold. There there's a whole host of fakes. I mean, the parable of soils or so are to tells us that. But that does not negate what verse 9 says. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. It's not difficult in terms of a passage. Notice, for with the heart, verse 10, one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, and I love the language here, whoever believes on him will not be put to shame. Whoever believes on him will not be put to shame. I I can't get it in my head that persons who take this seriously and by grace act upon it have any reason for worry or concern that that Christ is going to rebuff them. All that the father gives me will come to me. and the one who comes to me, I will certainly not cast out. I'm I'm just not sure how much more clear and evident God could have made his willingness to save sinners than what he has revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Why Why is it that we want to load these things up with what appears, at least from my observation, an attempt to discourage people from coming to the Savior? I think we're supposed to encourage people to come to the Savior. If the Savior himself stood up on the last great day of the feast and said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me." The Savior himself says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden." The Savior himself says, "Oh, everyone who thirsts, let him come to me." Why in the world would Christians, why in the world would preachers try to discourage people from coming to the Savior? It makes no sense. What's driving that? Well, we've got to protect the kingdom of God. Do you know that Christ protects the kingdom of God? Do you know he doesn't need you in that capacity? We're supposed to encourage people to come to the Savior. And I think Romans 10 is one of those beautiful passages that illustrates that. Whoever believes on him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek Greek. For the same Lord overall is rich to all who call upon him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How would we discourage somebody from listening to that and by grace acting upon that? That's the intention. That's the hope. That's the purpose to save from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Let's continue on in the passage 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. See that agency of gospel preaching is what God blesses to the saving of sinners. So when gospel preachers come and tell you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you're doing exactly what God designed to be done in 1 Corinthians 1:21. For since in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. In other words, we are not supposed to discourage people from coming to the cross. If that's what our job or our task has become, we need to find a new job or find a new task. Because the purpose of gospel ministry, the purpose of Christian evangelism is to point sinners unto the Lord Jesus Christ to remind them you're going to bow the knee. You're going to confess. But may I encourage you to bow the knee now. To confess him in faith now. To own him as Lord and Savior now. to join the ranks of those who say with the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20, who loved me and gave himself for me. Brethren, the Lord Jesus Christ enthroned at the right hand of God most high has all glory. He has all power. He has all majesty and excellence and he has all grace for needy sinners. He is a real savior for real sinners. If you have not come, if you have not believed, that's my exhort exhortation to you for the people of God. In terms of Philippians 2, just a couple of thoughts and then we close. I would suggest first the comfort of the kingly office of Christ. The comfort of the kingly office of Christ. Yes, he's a prophet and yes, he's a priest and yes, he's a king. to rescue and provide security for the believer, to defend and protect the believer. London confession 8:10. And for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom. Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, "How does Christ execute the office of a king?" Christ executute the office of a king in subduing us to himself in ruling and defending us and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. The position of Christ at the right hand of God most high with that name given him has that as one of his tasks to protect to defend to rule and subdue us. I would suggest secondly for the believer if you look back at verse 9 in chapter 2 of Philippians therefore God also has highly exalted him that concludes the subsection in verses 6 to8 there's an obvious connection and a link right an obvious connection and a link after he says what he says in verse eight even the death of the cross therefore you see that close connection based on what Christ does in terms of his obed obedience. Therefore, God also has highly exalted him. So, there's an immediate connection to the specific christologology of verses 6 to8. But as well, it's not divorced from the the broader context of verses 1 to4. Remember 5-11 function as a paradigm for Paul to say look at Jesus and have this mind in you which was also in him. That follows his prohibition against selfish ambition or conceit. It follows from him having said let each of you look out not only for his own interest but also for the interests of others. So verses 9 to 11 cap off the christologology section in verses 6 to8. But all of that is is for the support of the admonition to unity and love in verses 1 to4. So how should we approach this? We should have the mind of Christ in the state of humiliation. He humbled himself. The one who was in the form of God. The one who did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. The one who made himself of no reputation. You mean we're supposed to be like that? Yes. Yeah. That's what we're supposed to be like. You mean the one who humbled himself even to death or uh uh to to death even to the death of the cross. We're supposed to do that. Yes. So, how do we get some encouragement from verses 9 to 11? Well, look at what follows. the state of humiliation for our Lord Jesus Christ. It's the state of exaltation. Listen to John Gil. He sees this practical sort of connection between not only verses 9 and 9 to 11 with verses 6 to8 but with verses 1 to4. The apostle proceeds to observe the exaltation of Christ for the encouragement of the meek and humble souls. that whereas Christ who so exceedingly demeaned himself was afterwards highly exalted by God, so all such who in imitation of him behaved to one another in loneliness of mind shall be exalted in God's due time. For who so humbleth himself shall be exalted. Matthew 23 12, Luke 14 11, Luke 18:14, whoever humbles himself shall be what? Shall be exalted. So the admonition section or the exhortation in verses 1 to4 is displayed yes in the humility. We're supposed to have that mind which was also in Christ Jesus who humbled himself. We're also supposed to understand that God in his grace blesses the people of God immeasurably. Zanki concurs. He says Christ's humiliation was followed by his exaltation and glory. Therefore, he who humbles himself voluntarily and out of love will be exalted and glorified with Christ. So, the practicality of the section as greatly christoologgically rich as it is, it's in a context where the people of God functioning together in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ are to do things without selfish ambition or conceit, but they're to look at others as better than themselves. Jesus is that example. Jesus. Humiliation leads to exaltation. Now, brethren, I just want to remind us all, we're not going to heaven because we humbled ourselves so well. We're not going to heaven because we always esteemed others as better than ourselves. Brethren, I if you're like me, that's just not the way it is. You're probably all saying, "Nope, it's just you." Okay, we're not going to go to heaven because we humble ourselves. We're going to go to heaven because Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death. even the death of the cross. Our salvation is rooted in the active and the passive obedience of Jesus Christ. We are justified freely by his grace and as a result of that we live in a manner that is consistent with our high calling in the gospel. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for your goodness and your graciousness to us. And we thank you especially for what Christ has accomplished on behalf of all those you gave him. We ask that you would go with us now. We pray for your blessing upon us in this coming week. We pray that we would know communion with you and we would know that love of God that you have for your people. And we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, we'll stand and sing 568 together. 568. [Music] All blessings come. Praise him all creatures here. Praise him [Music] abolce of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. Well, let us be seated for a brief time of meditation.