In one of the most well-known passages in the writings of St Paul we have a precis of the story of the Christ child whose birth we celebrate on Christmas Day. This is in Philippians 2 verses 3 to 11. As we read these verses we are confronted with His significance and the challenge He brings to every human heart.
1]. The Pattern Of Humility To Be Adopted In The Lives Of Humans 2:3-4.
Every human ever born is challenged to humbly submit their lives to God. St Paul wrote in 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” “Humility” is from tapeinophrosynē; from tapeinos; meaning humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty: — humbleness of mind, humility (of mind, lowliness (of mind), and from phrēn; the feelings, the mind or cognitive faculties, the understanding. True humility is marked by counting others as more significant than ourselves and placing the interests of others above our own.
That can only be done when humans submit to God in surrendering their lives to Him and are filled with His Spirit by whom God’s agape love floods their hearts. Only His love can motivate human hearts to place the interests of others above their own.
2]. The Pattern Of Christ’s Humility To Be Adopted In The Minds Of Humans. 2:5-7
Php 2:5 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. “
Humans have to adopt the mind-set shown in the story of Jesus. As the eternal Son of God He humbled Himself to come into this world as a vulnerable baby. He didn’t consider that His equality with God must be held on to. Rather he emptied Himself of some of His privileges as the Son of God in becoming a baby.
3. The Pattern Of Humility Seen In The Life Of Jesus. 2:8.
Php 2:8 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Jesus’ pattern of humility continued throughout His life on earth. He said of Himself in Heb 10:7 “Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.” His whole ministry was based on His dependence on His Father as He indicated in John 5:19-20, “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.”
His ministry of His teaching and performing miracles stemmed from the Father, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” John 14:10.
He fulfilled God’s purpose for Him, “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” John 17:4. And in John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
In His humility He was fully committed to His Father’s will, from His birth as a human, to His death as a human for humans, on the cross.
4]. The Reward For The Pattern Of Humility Seen In The Life Of Jesus. 2:9
Php 2:9 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.”
Because of His humility and for fully accomplishing the Father‘s will throughout all His life as a human, God exalted Him in His resurrection and ascension and by seating Him at the Father’s right hand. As someone has written, “The resurrection of Jesus is the ’AMEN’ of the Father, to the ”IT IS FINISHED!” of the Son on the cross,” as He died for the human race.
5]. The Challenge To Every Human To Humble Themselves To Submit To Christ. 2:10-11.
Php 2:10 “So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus is significant! God has said so! An angel appeared to Joseph and told him about Mary’s pregnancy, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Mat 1:21. A God-given name to fulfil a God-given task of saving the human race from the penalty of their sins. But the name has even greater significance as Jesus has fulfilled the Father’s plan of salvation enabling all who turn to God in repentance of their sins and trusting in Christ for salvation, will be saved.
Summing up
It means that humans must not ignore the significance of what God accomplished through Jesus and the significance of the person of Jesus as Lord. At His name every knee is meant to bow in acknowledgment of His Person and the magnitude of all He accomplished through His birth, death, resurrection and ascension.
The baby who was born on that first Christmas Day, has become the Saviour of the world, The Lord of the universe and ultimately the judge of all humankind, for as Jesus said in John 5:22, “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.”
How much better it would be to humbly confess our sins, to receive Jesus into our lives as Saviour and in humility to enthrone Him as the Lord and Master of our lives than to go to another Christmas season with Him still outside our lives!
I pray that many who read this article will humble themselves to receive Jesus as Saviour and commit their lives to Him as Lord. Receiving God’s grace in Christ now is far better than trying to live independently of His love, mercy, and grace.
The baby Jesus will ultimately be the judge of the world and must never be ignored! Jesus is coming, ready or not!
Blog No.562 posted on Boxing Day 26 December 2024.
holbeck 
562. The Story Of The Christ Child. Philippians 2:3-11.
In one of the most well-known passages in the writings of St Paul we have a precis of the story of the Christ child whose birth we celebrate on Christmas Day. This is in Philippians 2 verses 3 to 11. As we read these verses we are confronted with His significance and the challenge He brings to every human heart.
1]. The Pattern Of Humility To Be Adopted In The Lives Of Humans 2:3-4.
Every human ever born is challenged to humbly submit their lives to God. St Paul wrote in 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” “Humility” is from tapeinophrosynē; from tapeinos; meaning humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty: — humbleness of mind, humility (of mind, lowliness (of mind), and from phrēn; the feelings, the mind or cognitive faculties, the understanding. True humility is marked by counting others as more significant than ourselves and placing the interests of others above our own.
That can only be done when humans submit to God in surrendering their lives to Him and are filled with His Spirit by whom God’s agape love floods their hearts. Only His love can motivate human hearts to place the interests of others above their own.
2]. The Pattern Of Christ’s Humility To Be Adopted In The Minds Of Humans. 2:5-7
Php 2:5 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. “
Humans have to adopt the mind-set shown in the story of Jesus. As the eternal Son of God He humbled Himself to come into this world as a vulnerable baby. He didn’t consider that His equality with God must be held on to. Rather he emptied Himself of some of His privileges as the Son of God in becoming a baby.
3. The Pattern Of Humility Seen In The Life Of Jesus. 2:8.
Php 2:8 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Jesus’ pattern of humility continued throughout His life on earth. He said of Himself in Heb 10:7 “Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.” His whole ministry was based on His dependence on His Father as He indicated in John 5:19-20, “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.”
His ministry of His teaching and performing miracles stemmed from the Father, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” John 14:10.
He fulfilled God’s purpose for Him, “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” John 17:4. And in John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
In His humility He was fully committed to His Father’s will, from His birth as a human, to His death as a human for humans, on the cross.
4]. The Reward For The Pattern Of Humility Seen In The Life Of Jesus. 2:9
Php 2:9 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.”
Because of His humility and for fully accomplishing the Father‘s will throughout all His life as a human, God exalted Him in His resurrection and ascension and by seating Him at the Father’s right hand. As someone has written, “The resurrection of Jesus is the ’AMEN’ of the Father, to the ”IT IS FINISHED!” of the Son on the cross,” as He died for the human race.
5]. The Challenge To Every Human To Humble Themselves To Submit To Christ. 2:10-11.
Php 2:10 “So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus is significant! God has said so! An angel appeared to Joseph and told him about Mary’s pregnancy, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Mat 1:21. A God-given name to fulfil a God-given task of saving the human race from the penalty of their sins. But the name has even greater significance as Jesus has fulfilled the Father’s plan of salvation enabling all who turn to God in repentance of their sins and trusting in Christ for salvation, will be saved.
Summing up
It means that humans must not ignore the significance of what God accomplished through Jesus and the significance of the person of Jesus as Lord. At His name every knee is meant to bow in acknowledgment of His Person and the magnitude of all He accomplished through His birth, death, resurrection and ascension.
The baby who was born on that first Christmas Day, has become the Saviour of the world, The Lord of the universe and ultimately the judge of all humankind, for as Jesus said in John 5:22, “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.”
How much better it would be to humbly confess our sins, to receive Jesus into our lives as Saviour and in humility to enthrone Him as the Lord and Master of our lives than to go to another Christmas season with Him still outside our lives!
I pray that many who read this article will humble themselves to receive Jesus as Saviour and commit their lives to Him as Lord. Receiving God’s grace in Christ now is far better than trying to live independently of His love, mercy, and grace.
The baby Jesus will ultimately be the judge of the world and must never be ignored! Jesus is coming, ready or not!
Blog No.562 posted on Boxing Day 26 December 2024.
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.