Prayer: Jesus, You are the Lord of all creation. Please help us make You the lord of our lives. Teach me to be more like You. Control my thoughts and my actions. Amen.
Main Scripture:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8).
Associated Scriptures:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14).
And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone” (Mark 2:5-7)?
Correlative Quotes:
"Who do people say that I am" (Mark 8:27)? Jesus asked this question two thousand years ago. His enemies said He was a devil, a rabble-rouser who deserved to die. His followers said He was the Messiah, the Son of God who deserved to be worshipped.[1] – Bryce Klabunde and Larry Sittig
So, Christ's glorified humanity, which is the template and link for the glorification that is ours, must go on forever too. If the hope of our faith is to be like Jesus in his glory, that glory must be permanent.[2] – J. I. Packer
Standing at the foot of the Cross, we see hands, and feet, and side, all distilling crimson streams of precious blood. It is “PRECIOUS” because of its redeeming and atoning efficacy. By it the sins of Christ’s people are atoned for; they are redeemed from under the law; they are reconciled to God, made one with Him. Christ’s blood is also “PRECIOUS” in its cleansing power; it “cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” "[3]– Charles Spurgeon
Study:
The key thought in vs. 5 of our main scripture involves spiritual evolution. We must be transformed and conform to Christ. To accomplish process, we must make Him the Lord of our lives (Romans 10:9-10). Jesus is our example in all things since He was human like us, but at the same time, He is God. If we are to please God the Father, we must imitate God the Son. Ephesians 5:1-2 (NKJV) says: “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
We should not be selfish if we wish to be like Jesus. Selfishness is thinking and acting as if we are superior to and more important than others. God wants us to put others first.
Next, we should avoid being conceited. Egotism is thinking that we are more important than others. Jesus, who is at the same time God, in His humanness, did not consider Himself to be better than another (Hebrews 2:9). At the same time, He saw the importance of all people and treated them equally, dying for the sins of all (2 Peter 3:9).
Finally, we must act with humility. Humility must be proactive and not just reactive. We must act and react as if others are more important than we are, because they are. The true servant treats others with compassion and love, not thinking of their own wants and desires but concentrating on the needs of others. Humility must become a way of life.
Christ Jesus, Paul said, is of the very essence of God, and in His incarnation, putting on flesh, He embraced perfect humanity. His complete and absolute deity is carefully stressed by the apostle. The Savior's claim to deity infuriated the Jewish leaders and caused them to accuse Him of blasphemy (John 10:33). They would not recognize Jesus as the Messiah because they were blinded by selfishness, conceit, and complete lack of humility. In contrast, Jesus took on the nature of a servant (John 13:2-5).
The key understanding for us is found in vs. 8. Jesus, as human, is like us in that He felt all the same temptation, stress, anguish, and suffered as we suffer. However, He was different from all other humans in that Jesus was sinless (Hebrews 4:15). He was God manifest in human flesh (John 1:14). He not only would not sin but also, He could not sin.
Though being fully God, Christ did not hesitate to set aside His deity to become a man. During His incarnate state, He gave up His right to manifest Himself visibly as the God of all splendor and glory. Christ's humiliation included taking the position of a servant, being born human. Christ became a man, an actual human being.
The words: "made Himself nothing" are, literally, "He emptied Himself." Emptied (vs. 7 NASB) means that He gave up the identity of being in the Godhead, but not His deity. This was accomplished so that He could be obedient to the Father, serve others, and meet the requirements of a “living sacrifice”.
The closer we draw to Jesus; the greater will be our joy. Since true spiritual happiness is a product of joy, as our joy increases, so will our happiness and contentment.
Summary Statement:
Our fulfillment in life does not come from things, but from Jesus. The assurance that Jesus is in control of our lives, through His shed blood and the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, is not only the basis of our joy but the source of its strength.
Someone once asked me, when I was running a business, "Do you find fulfillment in your work? I said, respectfully, "I don't look for fulfillment in my work. I have found fulfillment in Jesus Christ. My work allows me to do the will of God for my life. Doing God's work is a combination of imitating Jesus; through the power of His spirit, providing for my family, and using my resources to further Kingdom work." I am not perfect, however, that was my goal. There was only one who was ever perfect. They hung Him on a cross.
“He humbled Himself.” In His heart there were, frequently, great struggles. He even lost consciousness of God’s presence, so that He cried in sore anguish: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”[4] – Charles Spurgeon
Lessons within the Lesson:
Why is it so important that we try to imitate Jesus?
How can Jesus understand what we go through daily?
Explain the concept of Jesus as God and man at the same time.
What changes can we make in our lives that will help us find fulfillment?
[1] Bryce Klabunde and Larry Sittig, A Good Man or the God-Man? The Case for the Deity of Jesus, Fair Use Authorization, Section 107, of the Copyright Law, copyright 2015 Insight for Living, insight.org/resources/articles /theology/good-man-god-man.
[2] J. I. Packer, Incarnate Forever, CT (Christianity Today), Fair Use Authorization, Section 107, of the Copyright Law, copyright March 1, 2004, christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/march/25.72.html.
[3]Charles Spurgeon, The Lamb of God: Past, Present, Future, Public Domain, Precepaustin, preceptaustin.org/the_lamb_of_god.htm.
[4] Charles Spurgeon, Our Lord in the Valley of Humiliation, Public Domain, spurgeongems.org, P. 3.
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