Mega Apostle or Servant (Phil 2:1-9)
Verse 1 Paul is writing this letter because there was some disunity in the Philippian Church
• Paul begins this section by asking some rhetorical questions.
Verse 2 He is calling them to be unified in how they think. Then he goes on to call them to be unified in love.
• He calls them to be unified in spirit and in purpose.
o This is really the essence of what it is to be a follower of Jesus
• On the flip side, selfish or self-focused behavior becomes a barrier to all of this.
• He calls them to be one in Spirit. Of course, the Spirit, is the Holy Spirit
Verse 3 Paul now gives specific commands against bad behavior that works against unity of spirit.
• Then he commands them not to do something from vain conceit. Don’t try to impress others.
• This behavior is all self-focused.
o And of course, when something is self-focused, it works against unity of Spirit.
• Paul commands them to be humble. And we are to do this by considering others better than ourselves.
• Can you imagine what the church would look like if we all considered others better than ourselves?
Verse 4 Paul goes on to say we are to help each other. Look out for each other.
o If you are having a problem, then that should be my problem too.
Verse 5 He says our attitude or our thinking is to be the same as Christ Jesus.
• This can only be done through the Holy Spirit.
o We have to allow the Spirit to come and transform our minds.
Verse 6 Paul now begins to talk about Jesus’ attitude to help us walk out this command to have the same attitude.
• Paul says that Christ by His very nature is God.
o But Jesus didn’t have to cling to that position.
• Unlike Adam and Eve who tried to become like God.
o Jesus could put His God nature down.
• Paul is calling us to have the same attitude.
Verse 7 Jesus used His God power, to lay down His God power.
• Instead He made Himself a servant. God made Himself into a human to be a servant.
Verse 8 All humans will die, we cannot escape that.
• But Jesus, being God, did not have to die. He became obedient to death.
• He felt every bit of pain in His beating and crucifixion.
o And He endured that for our benefit.
• He took on all the shame and insult associated with dying on a cross.
o But Jesus had to die this kind of a death to be unified with those who had already died this way.
Verse 9 Because Jesus was willing to humble Himself, God the Father raised Him up.
• The same holds true for us, if we humble ourselves and work for the unity of the church.
