Like Jesus: Obeying Death

“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8)

Humility doesn’t come any more shocking than this. First, the Creator of the universe refuses to demand His right to be treated as God. Instead, He humbles himself by becoming stuck in time, first as a baby human—fully human, a servant down to His own human DNA. He grew, obedient to time, waiting for the hours and days and years to pass like every other human must. Finally, this passage tells us God bowed so low as to obey even death.

steps_350Death — the consequence for Adam’s sin — “for when you eat of it you will surely die.” Now perfect and humble Jesus Himself obeys the consequence for sin to spare all of Adam’s believing children. And not an easy death, either. Not a noble, kingly death. Not death “with his boots on” in the heat of battle or “passing in his sleep” to avoid the pain.

This was death at it’s wickedest — a death so cruel the Romans would not allow the worst Roman citizens to suffer through it. A death of shame. A death that invited mocking and spittle. How: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Think: Why would God allow His only Son to suffer by obeying such an ugly death?

Pray: Thank God for Jesus’ enormous humility to lower Himself to the point where He could pay the penalty for your sin.

Do: Look up the definition of humility in a dictionary and write it out word-for-word while thinking about this verse.

Like Jesus: We Humble God Lifts

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.” (Philippians 2:9)

In coming to earth, in becoming a human servant, Jesus made Himself nothing. He humbled Himself to the lowest point. He made the choice to treat others as better than Himself (they weren’t), to serve, to die.

steps_350Then God the Father made a choice to un-humble Jesus. He lifted Him up to the highest place and gave Him the most powerful, most respected, and most feared name in past and future history. He took Jesus’ shameful and obedient and loving and selfless death on the cross and turned Jesus into the greatest champion of all time.

God calls us to follow that same pattern. We humble ourselves and wait. We serve. We treat others better. We kill off every “me first” impulse. Then, at just the right moment, He will lift us up. See 1 Peter 5:5-6 to see for yourself.

Think: How are you doing at thinking like Jesus and humbling yourself under God’s mighty hand? Is your ego losing any weight?

Pray: Ask God to help you both to know how and to want to humble yourself in service to others.

Do: Memorize 1 Peter 5:5-6 and roll it around in your head every day this week. (You can skip the first sentence unless you’re a “young man.”)

Like Jesus: Knees and Tongues

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

This passage is one of the earliest known Christian “creeds.” A creed is a statement of belief that defines what it means to be part of a group. True or false: Jesus Christ is Lord, meaning that He is Yahweh, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Holy One of God. Christians says, “True.” Unbelievers say, “False” or “Yes, but . . .”

steps_350One day, every soul who has every existed will finally answer “True” to this question. Some will bow in gratitude; others in shame. Some will be in heaven, others on earth, others in hell — all will finally and fully admit that the once-despised and mocked and spit-on Jesus is, after all, Lord of all.

For anyone who waits until that day to bow before Jesus, it will be too late to be saved by trusting in Him for the forgiveness of their sins. They will suffer in hell forever knowing they were wrong to reject Him. What a day of triumph and despair that will be.

Think: How many people do you know right now who could not honestly bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord?

Pray: Ask God to help your unbelieving friends and family members to come to know Him as Father through faith in Jesus.

Do: Make a plan to confess to an unbelieving friend or family member your faith that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Like Jesus: Fear and Tremblin’

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

What this passage is NOT saying: In order to keep your salvation — your place in heaven with God forever — you’d better do everything right. You’d better earn it with lots of good works. Be very afraid, because if you don’t keep working out your salvation God won’t let you in.

steps_350Why it is NOT saying that: Paul had written this to these same people one chapter ago: “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 1:6). Paul was confident every person in Christ would be made perfect. No need to worry that you won’t make it.

What I think this passage IS saying: You are saved people! Saved people obey God! Don’t stop obeying Him. Be afraid. Be awestruck. Why? Because the all-powerful God of the universe is going to use your obedient life to accomplish His plan for the universe. It might be hard, but what an amazing and meaningful (and thrilling and sometimes terrifying) way to live!

Think: Does the idea of the God of all using your little life to accomplish His forever plan scare you a little? Does the idea of disobeying Him scare you? Why or why not?

Pray: Ask God to help you to be afraid of all the right things and fearless of everything else.

Do: Read Philippians 2:5-11 again and notice how the Father used Jesus’ obedient life to accomplish His plan.

Like Jesus: Shiny Much?

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” (Philippians 2:14-15)

I heard somebody say recently, “What other people think of me is none of my business.” That’s a sticky idea that is both true and false, I think. The true part of it is that I cannot hope to make people judge me fairly. I can’t expect that everyone will like me for who I am. I shouldn’t make it my job in relationships to be universally accepted. Some people will like me; others won’t. That’s okay.

steps_350But in the verses we’ll notice today and tomorrow, Paul says that statement is also false. What others think of us as Christians is exactly our business. Why? Because people will base their opinion of Jesus on how much of Him they see in us. Our reputation can attract seekers to life in Christ — or make them want to gag at the thought of being “one of us.”

How to be attractive? Paul says, “Don’t complain.” “Don’t argue.” That will lead toward our being “blameless” (no obvious big failings in our lives) and “pure” (belonging only to God). We will become known as God’s children — good kids who stick out in a generation that loves to do wrong.

Think: Be honest with yourself. What does the reputation of you and your Christian friends together say about Jesus?

Pray: Ask God for the self control to obey Him so you can shine for Him in your generation.

Do: Listen to yourself today. Write down on a list every time you complain or argue. If it’s a lot, track it every day this week and see if you do it less by thinking about it more.

Like Jesus: Run for Nothing?

“. . . in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” (Philippians 2:15-16)

Some people don’t like the book of Ecclesiastes. It’s a book of great wisdom, but it asks a lot of hard questions — and it doesn’t answer all of them completely. The author’s most famous line is the first one: “Meaningless, meaningless, says the Preacher, all is meaningless.” Solomon concludes more than once that you won’t find the answer to life’s meaning “under the sun.”

steps_350In his writings — also inspired by God but after the mystery of Jesus is revealed — Paul answers a lot of Solomon’s Ecclesiastes questions more fully by showing all the meaning that flows into our lives from “beyond the sun” through knowing Jesus. Today’s passage is one of those answers. Here he says that his life — his mission — will be meaningful when the Philippians (and other believers of his day) live in such a way as to “hold out the word of life” to the next generation of Christians.

A life that matters involves passing the torch of faith in Jesus to others who are looking for meaning in their lives. As Paul describes it, those living in the darkness of a crooked generation will notice people in the light. Are you ready to talk about the source of your light with anyone who asks?

Think: Do you think Paul’s life would really have been less meaningful if the Philippians had not pointed others to Jesus? Do you think he was confident that they would?

Pray: Ask God to help you live in a way that would attract unbelievers to come to you looking for the light.

Do: Whatever you do, do NOT start singing the camp song “Pass It On” in your head today; you’ll never get it out. (“It only takes a spark to get a fire going . . .”)

Like Jesus: Nothing Left

“But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.” (Philippians 2:17-18)

A drink offering was one of several types of offerings used by the Jews for worshipping God. It usually accompanied a “meal offering,” and most of Paul’s Jewish readers probably could picture the priest pouring out the wine as a sacrifice to God. Paul saw his own life being poured out; he was in prison and knew he might be killed soon for teaching about Jesus.

steps_350Did you notice what the drink offering, Paul’s life, is being poured over? The Philippian’s “sacrifice and service” to and for God. Paul had introduced them to Jesus. They had responded by trusting in Christ. That faith resulted in living such good lives that they stood out as shining stars in their generation. Paul said it was worth his whole life to help make that happen.

If you play sports, some coach has probably yelled at you at some point to “leave it all on the field” or the “court” or in the “cage” (depending on your sport). Paul’s life was poured out. He used it all up to hand his faith off to the next generation. The result? Gladness and joy for him — and for his readers.

Think: If you were in prison for preaching Jesus with a real chance of being killed, do you think you would see that as a “victory” worth being glad about?

Pray: Ask God to help you use your whole life up in serving Him.

Do: If you watch a lot of sports, give yourself one point for every time you hear the worlds “leave it all on the court” this next month.