Empty yet full

EMPTY YET FULL

(Philippians 2:5-11)

“⁵In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ⁷ rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11)

As Christ followers, we are called to show our world today the of Jesus.

Today’s “Big Idea”…

Paul challenges each of us to who Jesus is and then His example of

I. Jesus Christ Came to Earth as .

“Who being in very nature God.” (Philippians 2:6)

• 1. Everything that was essential to being God

II. Jesus Christ on Earth Was

“…he made himself nothing [or emptied himself]…being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:6)

“The Word [Jesus] became flesh and made his dwelling [lived for a while] among us.” (John 1:14)

“The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood.” (John 1:14 MSG)

“The God of a trillion galaxies chose to descend to be with the benighted humans on this rebellious planet out of the billions in the universe.” Philip Yancey

“He was God living out a truly human life.” Gordon Fee

III. Jesus did not make of His divine qualities.

1. This was the greatest in history.

“In Christ, we see the sharpest imaginable contrast: God on a cross.” Gordon Fee

1. Christ gave up the independent exercise of some attributes like or the ability to be everywhere at once.

“If the incarnation happened, it was the central event in the history of the earth.” C.S. Lewis

1. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, during His earthly life took the or form of a

“…he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant…” (Philippians 2:7)

“We like Jesus live to serve and in serving we like Jesus will find the way of exaltation… for us as well as for Jesus, the way up is down. God exalts us when we humble ourselves in service to others.” Lawrence Richards

1. Our goal: our story becomes a of Jesus’ story.
2. Amidst Serving Is Real.

Question to ponder:

Is Christ’s example of service current for us here and now?