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Philippians chapter 1. We're going to start reading 
in Philippians 1 at verse 27, and we'll read to chapter 2 and 
verse 11. The text of focus will be Philippians 
2, 5 to 11. But the context is helpful to 
see what the point of the apostle is in bringing forth the Lord 
Jesus Christ as the chief exemplar for Christian people. So Philippians 
1, beginning at verse 27, this is the word of the triune God. 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, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, 
which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and 
that from God. For to you it has been granted 
on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to 
suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which you saw in 
me, and now here is in me. Therefore, if there is any consolation 
in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the 
Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being 
like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of 
one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish 
ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others 
better than himself. Let each of you look out not 
only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you, which 
was also in Christ Jesus. who, being in the form of God, 
did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself 
of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming 
in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance 
as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point 
of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has 
highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every 
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those 
in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, 
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is 
Lord to the glory of God the Father. Amen. Well, let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you 
for this time once again in worship. We thank you for this particular 
exercise of worship, the preaching of your word. We would ask yet 
again that you would be with us in worship. Help us by your 
spirit to glory in your truth. Help us by your spirit to rejoice 
in Jesus Christ, our precious Savior. We do pray, Lord God, 
that that Christ would be exalted upon this gathered assembly, 
that you would receive all honor and glory, and that you would 
bless us now in this exercise of worship. Help us to be conformed 
to the image of Christ, and help us, Lord God, to leave this place 
rejoicing in so great a salvation. We pray in the name of Jesus 
Christ, our Savior. Amen. Well, this is a particular 
address of Holy Scripture that I know I've come to a fair bit. 
In fact, Isaac and I often talk about the fact that I did three 
sermons on just these six verses way back in 2017. So you won't 
have to worry, this will be one sermon and it won't take three 
hours. But it's a blessed passage of Holy Scripture that sets forth 
in a summary fashion really what the point of creation and providence 
is. It summarizes really what the 
point of the Bible is. And that is, it encapsulates 
the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the person and the work of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Because it is the case that both 
creation and providence serve that redemptive perfection. And 
it is the case that the Bible as a whole, Old Testament and 
New Testament, chapter after chapter, page after page, point 
forth to this Christ. Who came into the world sinners 
to save and it's interesting here. You see the Apostle Paul 
doesn't use it as a polemic To argue against those who reject 
the deity of Christ He simply cites the deity of Christ in 
order to set forth his humility and taking on humanity The Apostle 
Paul doesn't use it as a polemic to argue for the true humanity 
of Christ he simply cites the true humanity of Christ in order 
in order to again set forth his humility and But, in the history 
of the Church, this passage of Holy Scripture has been used 
as a polemic, and rightly so, to argue against those who would 
cast Christ down into the mud of idolatry and madness, arguing 
against His deity, arguing against His true humanity, and casting 
the perfection of His salvation into the dirt of unbelief. But 
it's a blessed passage, and it is that the Apostle Paul here 
is most likely citing this as his own early Christian hymn 
that was utilized by Christians, even contemporaneous to the Apostle 
Paul, to sing forth in congregated worship the glories of the Lord 
Jesus Christ. There's an interesting letter 
that you see this passage, Philippians 2 verse 5 to 11, Has been called 
the hymn to Christ as to God and in a letter in 113 ad By 
Pliny the Younger a Roman unbeliever to Emperor Trajan, of course 
a Roman unbeliever There is a citation of Christian worship You see 
Pliny the Younger was charged to investigate Christians and 
find out what are these? What are these Christians all 
about? What are they doing and more importantly for the Roman 
Empire? What should we do to them? and so he he is You know 
engaging or tasking his spies along with himself to find out 
what Christians are doing even even confronting these Christians 
who were gathering in Christian worship forcing them to forcing 
them to pledge allegiance to Caesar as their God and curse 
Christ and then he would from those false Christians gain information 
about what these Christians are doing And notice the report. 
These false Christians he's talking about, they asserted, however, 
that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been 
that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day, before dawn, 
and sing responsibly a hymn to Christ as to God, and to bind 
themselves by oath, not to do some crime, but not to commit 
fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse 
to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was 
over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again 
to partake of food, but ordinary and innocent food. It's a wonderful 
summary of what Christian activity was in the early first century 
and truly what it should be True truly what it should be today, 
but notice they gathered at a fixed day the Lord's Day Sabbath before 
dawn We don't do that because we're not slaves in the Roman 
Empire most likely they had to serve their masters at a certain 
time And so they gathered on the Sabbath before dawn they 
sang responsibly a hymn to Christ as to God so if we were to ask 
the question what populated the the hymn books of the early church 
what populated the creeds and confessions of the early church 
it was Philippians 2 verse 5 to 11 now the larger context here 
notice in verse 27 of chapter 1 there are some orders given 
orders given for conduct and for the Philippian Christians, 
only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Most 
likely what was going on is they were being marked by pride. That's 
why we have verse 1 to 4 and the example of Christ in 5 to 
11. They were marked by a measure of self-exaltation perhaps, a 
measure of pride, a measure of being absorbed in self and not 
putting others before themselves. So the Apostle Paul gives some 
orders to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel 
of Christ. He instills some courage in them in the face of adversarial 
opposition. They will have enemies. They 
do have enemies. And in the course of that opposition, 
when the enemies are engaging in their opposition, they ought 
not to fear because that's a proof of their enemy's perdition. That 
is their eternal damnation. And it is evidence that they 
have been granted on behalf of Christ to suffer for his name. 
So it is a blessed thing. And that's one of the Beatitudes 
that Christ pronounces upon his disciples in the gospel accounts. Then we have a disposition required 
as laid out. So what is the disposition? Confronted wholesomely with the 
command that they are to conduct themselves in a manner worthy 
of Christ, and confronted with adversaries, what is the disposition 
that is to be required on the part The Philippian Christians. Well, it is an others mindedness 
It is a casting off of self and putting others before ourselves 
Let nothing be done verse 3 through selfish ambition or conceit but 
in lowliness of mind Let each esteem others better than himself 
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but 
also for the interests of others You see it is to be a mark of 
the Christian that we are not absorbed in self and that we're 
not caught up in self But rather that we put others before ourselves 
and that that rubs against the the natural human inclination 
to be all about ourselves we noted this morning that threefold 
my my my of Nebuchadnezzar as he's purveying the the kingdom 
that he thought he built when it was actually God that gave 
it to him as a tool of to be a tool for judgment, but This 
is the mark of the natural man and it can be all too often even 
the mark of those of us Christians who have remaining corruption 
that we don't put others before ourselves but rather put ourselves 
before others and so the disposition is laid out by the apostle and 
then the perfect example is given the example is shown the eternal 
son and the condescension his condescension from the pinnacle 
of glory to the lowest ignominy, that is shame, to take upon himself 
man's nature, to execute the task of the second Adam, that 
is set forth before these Christians as the example for conduct. And notice then, under Philippians 
2, 5 to 11, we're simply and quickly going to look at two 
things here in this hymn to Christ as to God, and that is And those 
things are the exhortation and the exemplar so first the exhortation 
and then the exemplar notice the we have this Apostolic urging 
unto Christ likeness verse 5 let this mind be in you which was 
also in Christ Jesus This verse functions as connecting back 
to the previous Verse and verses let each of you look out not 
only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others 
So let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Christ 
was marked by that He did not put himself first Remember he 
says the Son of Man did not come into this world to be served 
But to serve and to give his life a ransom for many Christ 
was not about himself he was about others, coming into this 
lower shame in order to execute the terms of the covenant of 
redemption, that is, to save the elect unto perfect salvation 
by the sacrifice of himself. It also then introduces what 
follows. Let this mind be in you which 
was also in Christ Jesus. What mind? Well, the text goes 
on to speak about that. But we ought to notice here that 
this is the beautiful hymn to Christ as to God that follows 
is given in the context of exhorting Christians unto humility and 
putting others before themselves. And the Apostle brings forth 
the best example that he could possibly bring forth in order 
to humble these Philippian Christians unto conduct worthy of the gospel 
of Christ. We ought to realize that the 
Bible very often, we often say, Pastor Butler, myself, and others 
whom you hear preach, that Christ is not simply an example, only 
an example, and he's not. When we think of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, we ought not to first and foremost think that he came 
into this world simply to serve as an example, because that's 
far from the truth. He came into this world, sinners 
to save. That is the truth of the incarnation 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, not to serve as simply an example 
for people to to live virtuous lives. But he came into this 
world, sinners to save, to live a life of perfect obedience unto 
the law of the Father, and to die a perfect death upon Calvary's 
cross, to redeem a multitude which no man can number. But 
the Bible does very often in recognizing, obviously, and in 
setting forth the perfection of the work of Christ, use Christ 
as an example in order to exhort Christians. And so that's what 
the apostle does here. We have an apostolic urging unto 
Christ likeness And this is we we see this in in other portions 
of Holy Scripture 2nd Corinthians 8 where we have that that wonderful 
Christological statement about the one who is rich became poor 
so that we in our poverty might become rich speaking of the incarnation 
that's given in order to engender a generosity of financial generosity 
on the part of the Corinthian churches in order to give money 
for those in need So this is often used by the by the apostolic 
witness as a tool to encourage Christians So once again, the 
Apostle urges Christians unto Christ likeness now moving then 
to the exemplar and this is where we obviously want to spend most 
of our time here the exemplar that simply means one who serves 
as an example a person or a thing that serves as a Typical or excellent 
example or model for a pattern of action or behavior And here 
we have that, of course, as the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the 
chief exemplar set forth by the Apostle in order to encourage 
these Christians to humility and others-mindedness. And there 
are a number of things we want to observe here. In fact, five 
things under this title of the exemplar. the Lord Jesus Christ. This hymn to Christ as to God 
moves from deity to humanity to salvation and then on to blessed 
exaltation and a calling upon people or less of a calling upon 
people and more of the certain inevitability that every tongue 
will confess and every knee will bow to the magnificence of Christ. And so first off we want to notice 
then under the exemplar His consubstantiality with the Father. Now you've heard 
that term before, consubstantiality. It simply means of one substance. Pastor Butler has used it often 
in his preaching in the Gospel of John, from John 1 all the 
way through to where he is at now in the Gospel of John, as 
setting forth the equality with Christ by virtue of his oneness 
with the Father. So notice that one substance 
reality that the Son has with the Father is set forth and is 
the beginning of this hymn to Christ as to God. Notice verse 
6, who being in the form of God. You see the author, the Apostle 
Paul, wants us to see the journey here moving from the pre-incarnate 
exalted glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and then 
moving to the lowliness of his incarnation and humility, and 
then back up to the exaltation following the perfection of his 
work. But it starts here with his consubstantiality with the 
Father. He is of the same substance, 
of one essence, with the Father, who being in the form of God. This denotes his essential glory. Everything that makes God, God, 
Christ has. Everything that makes God, God, 
Christ is. And there aren't things that 
make God, God. God is simple, as you've often 
noted us to say. He is not composed of parts. 
He is without body, parts, and passions. but we speak as men 
in the lowliness of our language, and all that makes God, God, 
Christ is. There is nothing that the Father, 
there are no perfections that the Father has, there are no 
perfections that the Father is, that Christ isn't. He is not 
somehow lesser, he is not a small g-god, he is not inferior to 
the Father, but he is of one substance with him. Christ has 
essential divine glory. There are two views here as to 
what form means, who being in the form of God, and the first 
view is that form here is equal to essence, substance, nature, 
or being. The second view is that it refers 
to a visible manifestation of the glory of deity, because it's 
often used in the scriptures that way. Most of the early church 
held the first view And a lot of those in the more modern era 
held the second view, though a lot of reformers held the first 
view. Once again, that form here means equal in essence, substance, 
nature, or being. And that's the view that I hold. 
I like to side with the fathers whenever it makes sense. Some commentators say that they 
were so carried off by their polemics against heretics in 
the third, fourth, and fifth centuries that They misinterpreted 
this as being referring to essential glory, but I think they were 
right. I think they had the wherewithal 
to discern that they should accurately represent the Word of God when 
interpreting it. So all of that, to come back 
to this, that form here means essential glory, that Christ 
has essential glory with the Father, unmitigated, unmitigated 
deity in equality with the Father. So he is of one substance. with 
him who begat him, that is, the father of lights, who being in 
the form of God. And this is something that, as 
we move along, we want to glory in with regards to the identity 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, because we don't, as redeemed Christians, 
simply have a human redeemer. Christ did take upon himself 
humanity, but we have a divine redeemer. Jesus Christ is most 
certainly God, and we can, with confidence of confidences, open 
the door to those well-dressed Jehovah's Witnesses who come 
a-rapping on our doors, and we can, with confidence of confidences, 
say to them that Jesus Christ is God. With the verity of the 
Holy Scriptures and with the certainty of divine revelation, 
Jesus Christ is God Most High, who being in the form of God. So we have his consubstantiality 
with the Father, that is, that he is of one substance with the 
Father. And then, of course, then, we 
have his equality with the Father. Notice the language goes on. 
Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to 
be equal with God. You may have a marginal reading, 
or you may have a different version of the Scriptures in front of 
you, that has or carries with it something like this. instead of did not consider it 
robbery to be equal with God, something to the effect of did 
not consider equality with God something to be held on to, something 
like that. That's the meaning of God. So 
by virtue of Christ being in the form of God, and therefore 
being of one substance with the Father, he did not consider that 
subsequent equality something to be held on to at all costs. We'll move on to the incarnation 
in a second We want to note that of course is equality with the 
father if he is of one substance with the father of like essence 
Of not of like essence of the same essence of the same substance 
With that essence undivided then he is most certainly equal with 
the father and this passage very simply and very clearly rubs 
against what many are saying tragically even in the reformed 
world today that Christ is in some measure inferior to the 
father and the doctrine of subordination ism that's going on today that 
subordinates the son to the father that says the son by virtue of 
being the son is at a position of eternal submission or subordination 
to the father and they advocate it not simply as subordination 
or submission in the act of taking on humanity in the in the nature 
that he assumes but actually in his divine nature as the person 
of the son he is somehow inferior to the father this passage comes 
against that with the weight of a thousand horses when it 
says did not consider it robbery to be equal with God some quotes 
from the early church it cannot please the good father if the 
son be judged inferior rather than equal to his father Ambrose 
he is in no way inferior to the father Chris Austin. He didn't 
play games. He is in no way inferior to the 
father ever be spoken among us with boldness that famous dogma 
of the father's which builds up the churches in the sound 
doctrine wherein the son is confessed to be of one substance with the 
father and and the Holy Ghost is ranked and worshipped as of 
equal honour." Basil of Caesarea. And then Spurgeon, closer to 
our day, he wrote or preached, "...any doctrine which hath not 
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as equal persons in one undivided 
essence, we cast aside as being unsound, for we are sure that 
such doctrines must be derogatory to God's glory." So you see here 
the the the Apostle Paul in again setting Christ forth as an example 
and not Arguing polemically for the deity of Christ nevertheless 
sets forth the deity of Christ Who being in the form of God 
did not consider it robbery to be equal with God or again did 
not consider equality with God something to be held on to Christ 
is of one substance with the Father and and gloriously and 
therefore then he is equal with his father. Thirdly then in this 
hymn to Christ as to God we have his condescension the incarnation. So what is the Apostle Paul setting 
up here? When he's setting forth the glory 
of Christ, who is in the form of God, and the glory of Christ, 
who is equal with the Father, what is he setting up? Well, 
he's setting up this great contrast between the pre-incarnate exalted 
glory of Christ and the lowliness in coming as a man and taking 
on man's nature and going about the stuff of salvation. He was 
exalted in his pre-incarnate glory as God Most High, exalted 
in that pre-incarnate glory, the pinnacle of glory, but he 
lowers himself to the shame and the ignominy of this lower world 
in assuming our nature. So his condescension in the incarnation. He is consubstantial with the 
Father according to his divinity, but he is consubstantial with 
us according to his manhood. The Creed of Chalcedon writes, 
We then, following the Holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men 
to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same 
perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood, truly God and truly 
man, of a reasonable soul and body, consubstantial with us 
according to the manhood in all things like unto us without sin 
what does the text say then notice verse 7 with regards to this 
condescension in the incarnation but made himself of no reputation 
taking the form of a bond servant and coming the likeness of men. So we move, we transition in 
this text to the exalted glory of Christ, his pre-incarnate 
glory, the Son worshipped by angels, the Son exalted in his 
heavenly majesty, and then it transitions now to the lowliness 
of taking on the form of a bondservant, that is, assuming man's nature, 
but made himself of no reputation, verse 7 says. You may have a 
a Bible translation with you or that you've read before that 
says, but emptied himself. That's the language used. Some 
of the older texts have emptied themselves, and I think some 
of the newer texts have retained that sort of meaning. But That 
rendering is okay, but it can sometimes carry with it the confusion 
that Christ somehow, as the divine Son, divested himself of his 
glory and some divine attributes, if only for a time. And that, 
of course, is Christological heresy. Christ did not, as the 
Son of God, divest Himself of divine glory. How can God be 
divested of anything? God is God, unchangeable. God 
is God, immutable. He is ever and always the same. 
And so, the emptying, if we retain that sort of meaning, or if we 
speak concerning the emptying, it is the taking on of humanity, 
our nature, and not the divesting of His deity or the temporary 
setting aside of glory and attributes. the emptying, or this making 
himself of no reputation, is what the text simply says afterwards. That clause, taking the form 
of a bondservant, qualifies what it would mean to say, but emptied 
himself, or in this case, Made himself of no reputation. So 
this becoming of no reputation is the taking on of our humanity 
and this is something Brethren that we we need to rejoice and 
we need to rejoice in the deity of christ Rejoice in the fact 
that he is of one substance with the father and equal with him 
And also to rejoice in his assumed humanity. We we use this language 
assumed humanity unity We sometimes traffic in a lot of theological 
language, but hopefully you understand that It isn't it isn't in the 
absence of glorying and rejoicing in this Christ Reflect upon the 
fact that the creator of heaven and earth took upon our humanity 
to redeem us What a blessed what what an unmatchable what what 
a matchless act in the history of the world that the Son of 
God would assume our Humanity without sin in order to save 
us from our sins. What a blessed thing You see 
if Christ doesn't take on our humanity then we are not saved. It was a maxim in the early church 
to say the unassumed is the unhealed. If Christ did not assume humanity, 
then we as humanity are not healed. We as Christians cannot be saved 
if we do not have a human savior. We need him to be divine, but 
we need him also to have assumed our humanity to redeem us. Because 
it was the first man who sinned, and it is every man after him 
who has sinned, sinners need a Substitute to pay the penalty 
not only to provide a righteousness that avails with God but a substitute 
to take the penalty Our just do in our stead so that we might 
have eternal life So this emptying is the taking on of humanity 
or this making of no that this making of no reputation is the 
taking on of our Humanity remember the language of 1st John 1 1 
and 1st John 1 14 the pastor Butler often refers to in his 
sermons in the gospel of John In the beginning was the word 
the word was with God and the word was God and the word became 
flesh and dwelt Among us and we beheld his glory as of the 
only begotten of the father full of grace and truth What a blessed 
thing that he assumed our humanity There is no. One thing we ought 
to note here, because it's language that has been often used in the 
modern church regarding this language of taking the form of 
a bondservant, and there's been sort of a pithy, or not a pithy, 
it's sort of a catchy phrase to say that in this act Christ 
was engaging in addition by subtraction. That's something that we need 
to jettison from our theological language, because you cannot 
add to God. Christ did not add to himself 
humanity, he assumed humanity and therefore united to himself 
a human nature. This language of addition is 
unbiblical and untheological because it says that God can 
be added to, that there is something perhaps lacking in God to which 
he can add in order to be made perfect. Nothing, of course, 
though, can be added to God, and so this isn't addition by 
subtraction, whatever that even means. The proper theological 
language to speak with regards to the taking on of humanity, 
it isn't addition by subtraction, and it's not subtraction and 
emptying himself as if to divest himself of divine perfections, 
but rather it is assumption, assuming humanity to himself 
unto a uniting of that humanity to his deity. in that one person, 
the Lord Jesus Christ, both God and man. And so his condescension 
in the incarnation is glorious because of his assumption of 
our humanity, and he comes in the likeness of man. And notice 
verse 8, with regards to his obedience unto death as the reason 
for that incarnation, 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. Do you see the movement of this 
hymn to Christ as to God? Again, the pre-incarnate glory, 
the incarnate humility, and now the reason for that incarnate 
humility, the salvation of sinners. And so, the one who is in the 
form of God, the one who has equality with the Father, humbles 
himself in taking on humanity, and that assumed humanity and 
humility is unto the perfection of his saving work. His obedience 
unto death as the reason for his incarnation being found in 
appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to 
the point of death, even the death of the cross. This isn't 
a this isn't a second reference when we read here. He humbled 
himself That's not a second reference to the incarnation the incarnation 
was no doubt a humbling But this now specifically has to do with 
his submitting to his mediatorial task to be the to be the champion 
of God's elect to be actively obedient unto the law in all 
points and to be passively obedient in his death and bearing as a 
substitute the sins of his people. So we have, as we've often noted, 
two points with respect to the obedience of Christ, and no doubt 
you hopefully know what those are. And these are things that 
we often speak of in theological context, but it is the stuff 
of blessed worship and rejoicing in our Savior. Christ was actively 
obedient to the law, positively obedient to the law, Needed a 
righteousness sinners needed a righteousness Adam fell being 
disobedient in the garden and thrusted his progeny into Sin 
and depravity because of his disobedience and that progeny 
is eternally marked not eternally marked but is always and everywhere 
marked by disobedience themselves. And so we needed one, a substitute 
to come and vicariously, that is in our stead, render that 
obedience that would be right with God. We needed a champion 
who would come and in our stead obey the law that Adam broke 
and obey the law that we break daily. And in that we have, or 
in Christ we have, that blessed one who was actively obedient 
to the law of God at all points. You know, as we consider our 
own sin, and you know, this is something that's good to do. 
Not an untoward, overbearing focus on our sins such that we 
lament uncontrollably and cast ourselves into a Roman Catholic 
guilt fest, but it's good to reflect upon the fact that even 
as Christians, we do have remaining corruption. We do sin. It's glorious 
to quickly move from reflections upon our own sin as swiftly and 
as quickly as possible to Reflections upon the one who obeyed the law 
at all points in our stead and one for us a righteousness that 
avails with the father When we stumble when we fall when we 
trip in our sin in our remaining corruption We look quick quickly 
and swiftly with eyes of faith upon the advocate with the father 
Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins, 
and also the one who bore a righteousness that we could not bear. So in 
Christ, we have this blessed obedience. He humbled himself 
and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the 
cross. You see, Christ's whole life was a life of obedience. Christ came and we can say that 
not only was Christ's whole life from conception to death a life 
of obedience, but it was from conception to death a life of 
vicarious or substitutionary obedience in the place of all 
whom the Father had given to him. There's an interesting, 
not an interesting, what's in view if we think of Contextual 
things what's in view with Paul's inclusion of this hymn? Yes It 
is to set forth the fact that these Philippian Christians are 
to have the same mind that Christ has Setting force forth this 
chief example exemplar in this hymn in order that Christians 
might Obviously not replicate the work of Christ but try to 
be cut Christ like in their conduct conduct amongst other Christians 
the people that they find themselves in and around. But it obviously 
comes with connectedness theologically to biblical truth, biblical narrative, 
and the history of redemption. And what we have here is something 
that is very comparative or Adamic in nature, a comparison of two 
Adams, the first Adam who failed and the second Adam who was victorious. You can turn with me to Romans 
for a moment, the book of Romans, and chapter 5. Here, the Apostle Paul, the same 
author that's writing to the Philippians, speaks concerning 
two Adams, and he speaks concerning obedience and disobedience. And 
we won't read verses 12 through 17 But it's it's connected to 
what follows and what follows what we read here is sort of 
summing it up with this Therefore so Romans 5 verse 18 therefore 
as through one man's offense judgment came to all men resulting 
in condemnation even so through one man's righteous act the free 
gift came to all men resulting in justification of life for 
as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so also 
by one man's obedience many will be made righteous so coming back 
to the hymn to christ as to god the apostle paul the same one 
who was just engaged in in um in writing that theology of the 
two Adams, is now setting forth something concerning Christ that 
is in contrast to the first Adam. You remember what a great measure 
of that sin was? It was Adam, in his lowliness 
and in his humanity, that wanted to be like God in his divinity. Christ we have one who was truly 
God who took on the lowliness of humanity in order to redeem 
those such as Adam and all who followed in his stead from their 
sins there is a reciprocal relationship between Adam and Christ and this 
is carrying the weight of the glory of the second Adam and 
Contrast to that of the first this is John Owen who explains 
it a whole lot better than I just did for our recovery out of this 
state and condition that is sin depravity the misery of the misery 
of sin Considering how we cast ourselves into it the way insisted 
on was found out by divine wisdom namely the incarnation of the 
Son of God. For he was Lord of all, had absolute 
dominion over all, owed no service, no obedience for himself, being 
in the form of God and equal unto him. From this state of 
absolute dominion, he descended into a condition of absolute 
service. As Adam sinned and fell by leaving 
that state of absolute service which was due unto him, proper 
unto his nature, inseparable from it, to attempt a state of 
absolute dominion, which was not his own, not due unto him, 
not consistent with his nature, so the Son of God, being made 
the second Adam, relieved us by descending from a state of 
absolute dominion, which was his own, due to his nature, to 
take on him a state of absolute service which was not his own, 
nor due unto him. And this being inconsistent with 
his own divine nature, he performed it by taking our nature on him, 
making it his own. He descended as much beneath 
himself in his self-humiliation as Adam designed to ascend above 
himself in his pride and self-exaltation. And that's the Apostle Paul's 
point here. He descended, Christ did, as 
much beneath himself in his self-humiliation as Adam designed to ascend above 
himself in his pride and self-exaltation. You see, he's calling upon these 
Philippian Christians to not be marked by pride and to not 
be marked by self-exaltation like Adam was. You have been 
redeemed by the second Adam, so don't go back to the conduct 
of the first. Owen goes on, Adam being in the 
form, that is, the state and condition of a servant, did by 
robbery attempt to take upon him the form of God or to make 
himself equal unto him. The Lord Christ being in the 
form of God, that is, his essential form of the same nature with 
him, accounted it no robbery to be in the state and condition 
of God, to be equal to him. But being made in the fashion 
of a man, taking on him our nature, he also submitted unto the form 
or the state and condition of a servant therein. He had dominion 
over all, owed no service and obedience unto none, being in 
the form of God and equal unto him, the condition which Adam 
aspired unto, but he condescended unto a state of absolute subjection 
and service for our recovery. This did no more belong unto 
him on his own account than it belonged unto Adam to be like 
unto God or equal to him. Wherefore it is said that he 
humbled himself unto it, as Adam would have exalted himself unto 
a state of dignity, which was not his due." So finding our 
way back to Philippians 2, and moving towards a close here, 
we want to notice not only his active obedience, but also the 
passive obedience in his death. The language is, in 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 Christ 
perfectly exercises obedience to the law of Father in winning 
that act of obedience vicariously for us. And that obedience then 
moves to his passive obedience in his death, where he bears 
the guilt, where he bears the wrath of God in our stead for 
sins committed. What a blessed and perfect act 
that the son engages in a twofold act of obedience, active and 
passive obedience. He was obedient to the point 
of death. the one who is exalted in his 
pre-incarnate glory, the one who is lifted up, if you will, 
in his pre-incarnate glory, takes upon himself humanity, and in 
his substitutionary curse-bearing is lifted up, is exalted, in 
a sense, upon the cross of Calvary, where he cries out that cry of 
dereliction and bears the wrath of God in the stead of all his 
people. Again, as we reflect upon sins 
committed, isn't it a blessed thing that we have such a Savior? 
such a divine Savior who assumed our humanity, and He goes to 
the cross in our stead to die the death that was due us, to 
bear the wrath that was due us. Our minds can never exhaust, 
our minds can never wrap themselves around fully the glory that is 
found in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. One man put it 
some way like this, you know in contemplating the mystery 
of Christ and his incarnation and his cross death said something 
like if we could take all of the the neurons in our brain 
and string them together and somehow wrap them around the 
the the blessed mystery of the incarnation of Christ in salvation 
by him we might Congratulate ourselves for our cleverness, 
but we'll never worship In other words, we cannot exhaust the 
mystery and the majesty and the glory of such a son of God coming 
down into our lower shame, assuming our humanity and dying upon a 
cross for us. We sing the praises of this Christ. We know the truth. We can read 
it from the scriptures. We can meditate upon it. We can 
take it in in the act of preaching. And again, we rejoice in it above 
rejoicing, but we can never fully exhaust the glory that is found 
in the cross. But don't let that discourage 
you, that should encourage you that the glory of the cross is 
immeasurable. We cannot plumb the depths of 
that glorious deep that is the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
He was obedient to the point of death, even the death of the 
cross. And the blessed result of the 
perfection, fifthly and lastly, the blessed result of the perfection 
of Christ's mediatorial work we find in verses 9 and following. There's a very important therefore 
here that begins verse 9. This therefore is basically saying 
or introducing what then comes upon the heels of the perfection 
of Christ's work. This blessed mediator has come 
into the world, has perfectly executed the work that has been 
given to him. And so what comes upon the heels 
of that? Well, this is what comes upon 
the heels of his victorious, salvific work. 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. You know, as Christians, 
as we, you know, reflect upon when we reflect upon that bloody 
massacre upon Calvary's cross, as we reflect upon our Christ 
spit upon and bruised, as we reflect upon Christ whipped 40 
times minus one prior to his crucifixion, as we reflect upon 
Christ, the nails in his hands and his feet, So we reflect upon 
the miserable condition of his opposers, the wickedness of those 
who were before the cross mocking and ridiculing him. And as we 
move past those physical things and think about the weight of 
the turmoil of his soul as he bore the wrath of his father, 
in the stead of all his people, as he's suffering there, not 
for his own sins, but for the guilt of his people, for the 
guiltiness and the sins of his people. Isn't it a blessed thing? We see him there, no doubt, and 
we glory in Christ there. But to see the picture now move 
to his exaltation, he was not a defeated Savior, because a 
defeated Savior is no Savior at all. But much rather, the 
picture moves from the blood of the cross to the glory of 
the resurrection and the exaltation. This one, bloodied upon Calvary's 
cross, emerges on the third day victorious and in glory in the 
resurrection, and then he is exalted to the right hand of 
the Father. He has highly exalted him and 
given him the name which is above every name, King of kings and 
Lord of lords, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 
of those in heaven and of those on earth. of those under the 
earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ 
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Shouldn't that populate 
our prayers? You see, it is the case that 
this includes every man and woman, every boy and girl that there 
ever was, that there is now, and that there ever will be. 
Those who bend a knee, and those who confess with the tongue that 
Jesus Christ is Lord. For God's elect, for those who 
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is with a voluntary knee and 
it is with a joy-filled tongue. For those outside of Christ in 
damning unbelief, it is with a forced knee and with a tongue 
forced by the weight of infinite justice to confess that the Lord 
Christ is God, that Christ is Lord to the glory of God the 
Father. On that great day of judgment, Christ's own will be 
brought into brought into their rest and into his glory, into 
Emmanuel's land, confessing that he is Lord to the glory of God 
the Father. On that same day of judgment, 
though, those who are opposed to Christ, those who did not 
obey the gospel, those who do not believe in him, will confess 
and will bend the knee before they're cast into the lake of 
the fire reserved for the devil and his angels. But isn't it 
the case that it should populate our prayer That every tongue 
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the 
father to the weight of this That God would by his grace by 
his word and spirit save a multitude throughout the earth So we gather 
together on Lord's Day mornings for the hour of prayer. It's 
a blessed thing to to hear reports It's a it's at the same time 
a blessing but at the same time it's very grieving to hear of 
the persecution that goes on throughout the world against 
Christ's people But it's a glorious thing to know that in other parts 
of the world there are Christ's people. In China, in India, in 
Pakistan, in Eritrea, in Africa, Asia, all around the world, we 
have brothers and sisters in Christ. This gospel has gone 
out to the uttermost parts of the earth. There are those in 
every nation under heaven that bow the knee and that confess 
with their tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of 
God the Father in saving belief. What a blessed thing to know 
that. But there are millions more that stand outside of Christ 
that are enraged against him and his people that are opposed 
to the truth and it ought to constitute our prayers to bring 
forth to God the plea that he would ride victoriously by spirit 
and gospel. and make more of those who bend 
the knee voluntarily and who confess with joy that Jesus Christ 
is Lord to the glory of God the Father. What a blessed picture. 
This begins with exalted glory and it ends with the exaltation 
of the mediator. Jesus Christ set forth as the 
perfect exemplar for his people. So in the span of just a couple 
minutes, three things in closing we are to exercise humility. We're to learn from this passage. 
We're to learn, we're to reflect upon our own behavior and conduct 
as Christians and self-assess, are we those that conduct ourselves 
worthy of the gospel of Christ? Or are we acting in such a manner 
or caring about ourselves in such a manner that we are not 
marked by proper and true conduct as Christians? If so, we need 
to repent and we need to have the mind that is in Christ Jesus 
and not be marked by self-exaltation but by self-abasement and setting 
others before ourselves. We are to conduct ourselves in 
a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, exercising humility, 
not looking out for our own interests, but for the interests of others. Calvin puts it this way, since 
then the Son of God descended from so great a height, how unreasonable 
that we who are nothing should be lifted up with pride. Isn't 
that a wonderful statement? Well, He says we're nothing and 
we are relative, of course, to the Son of God. Since then, the 
Son of God descended from so great a height, how unreasonable 
that we who are nothing should be lifted up with pride. The 
one who is perfect in his exaltation took on humility, and we who 
should ever and always be humble put on pride. We're often, very 
often, the reverse of Christ. We're like that first Adam. We 
are in a position where we ought to be marked by the greatest 
humility, and yet we so often put on pride. Our blessed exemplar 
was in a position of exalted glory, the pinnacle of glory, 
yet he lowered himself to our to our lower shame in the height 
of humility. We are to reflect upon the person 
and work of Christ. It's a repeated emphasis that 
comes from this pulpit, but our joy as Christians is found in 
the knowledge of God and of his Christ. We come to passages like 
this, and you can perhaps be carried off by the commentaries, 
carried off in a good way, carried off on subject matter books that 
touch upon the true deity and the true humanity of Christ. 
What a blessed subject to study. No better science, no better 
school than that of the triune God and His Christ. And lastly, 
we are to worship Him and confess His Lordship. Notice that the 
culmination of this hymn, the crescendo builds and it comes 
to this point. Therefore, God also has highly 
exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name. 
And we are to bend the knee and we are to confess with our tongues 
that He is Lord to the Father's glory. And so let us do that 
as Christians, as we gather together as Christians, wherever you find 
yourselves, we have multiple occasions throughout the week. 
And this special set aside occasion in the week to glory in our triune 
God, to glory in our Christ, to sing the praises of the one 
who is of one substance with the father, to sing the praises 
of the one who is equal with the father, to sing the praises 
of the one who took upon our own humanity. the one who redeemed 
us and the one who was exalted upon the heels of his perfect 
work. Let's all rejoice in that Christ and leave these two doors 
singing his praises. Well, let's pray. Heavenly Father, 
we thank you for this time in worship. We rejoice in your goodness 
to us that we can gather freely in this place to rejoice in our 
Savior, to sing the praises of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 
and to be influenced, Lord God, by spirit and word. We do pray 
that you would help us now as we leave, that you would be with 
us, that you would guard us in this upcoming week, that you 
would cause us to come often to the throne of grace, that 
you would cause us to come often to contemplations of our blessed 
God and our precious Christ. So do go with us now and help 
us to return in one week's time, rejoicing in you and ready to 
worship Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We pray in the name of 
Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen. Well, you can stand with 
me and sing as our doxology hymn 564 in your hymn books 564. Let's stand and sing that together. 
♪ Israel ♪ ♪ You hold me dear in 
wondrous words ♪ ♪ In glory God excel ♪ ♪ You hold me dear in 
wondrous words ♪ ♪ In glory God excel ♪ ♪ Blessed be his glorious name 
to all eternity ♪ ♪ The whole earth and his glory hear, amen 
♪ Lord bless you and keep you. 
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance 
upon you and give you peace. Amen. Heavenly Father, go with 
us now. Help us to rejoice in you. We 
thank you once again for this occasion of worship. We pray 
that we would conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel 
of Christ as we go about our various stations. We pray, Lord 
God, that we would, as Christ, with a mind similar to his, that 
we would cast ourselves down in a manner and exalt others 
before ourselves, that we would seek the interest of others in 
addition to our own, that we would put others before ourselves, 
and do help us to reflect upon the fact that Christ is not only 
an example, but Lord God, one who gave himself for guilty sinners, 
and help us daily to rejoice in this precious truth. We pray 
in Christ's precious name. Amen. Well, please be seated. We'll have a brief time of prayer, 
and when the piano's finished, you're dismissed.