Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Mark 15:12; Philippians 2:5; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 4:19; Galatians 5:22-23

There is no figure in history as written about, talked about, debated or argued about as Jesus Christ.

In the mid-1980’s the Jesus Seminar was convened to try and discover the “historical Jesus” - in reality this has never been more than an effort to humanize Jesus and strip him of His deity

He was the subject of the most poignant, important question ever asked in the history of the world

We Preach Christ

Who is the eternal Son

One in nature with the eternal Father, and the eternal Spirit - the Triune God

Who is the creator and life-giver as well as the sustainer of the universe, and all who live in it.

Who is the virgin born Son of God and Son of Man - truly divine and truly human

Who is the one whose life on earth perfectly pleased God, and whose righteousness is given to all, who by grace through faith, become one with Him

Who is the only acceptable sacrifice for sin that pleases God, and whose death under divine judgement paid in full the penalty for the sins of His people, providing for them forgiveness, and eternal life

Who is alive, having been raised from the dead by the Father, validating His work of atonement, and providing resurrection for the sanctification and glorification of the saints, to bring them safely into His heavenly presence

Who is at the Father’s throne interceding for all believers

Who is God’s chosen prophet, priest and king, proclaiming truth, mediating for His church, and reigning over His kingdom forever.

Who will suddenly return from heaven to rapture His church, unleash judgement on the wicked, bring promised salvation to the Jews and the nations, and establish His millennial reign on earth.

Who will after that earthly reign, destroy the universe, finally judge all sinners and send them to hell, then create the new heavens and new earth where He will dwell forever with His saints in glory, love, and joy.

This is the Christ we preach.

Tonight we’re going to look at this Christ.

Read Philippians 2:5-11

Pray

Paul is reminding the Philippians that they are a new creation

This is in counter-point to the condition of operating out of selfish ambition or vain/empty glory.

Notice though that this is only possible in Christ Jesus

It is a part of the riches that we inherit

It would be foolish of us not to recognize that part of these riches is the ability to be a humble servant

It is important to note of course that this passage is not prescriptive - meaning that while we are to adopt the humble mindset of our savior (even if we’re called to be martyrs just as He was)

We will never be exalted the way that He is as a result of our obedience.

We are humble and obedient because of what Christ did for us on the cross - not in order to earn anything either for ourselves or anyone else.

The text we’re going to study tonight is an ancient hymn about Christ

It is the most succinct and complete description of our Savior that has ever been written

In these 5 short verses we will find our

Eternal Savior

Obedient Savior

Exalted Savior

that is our outline for tonight

Eternal Savior

Philippians 2:6; John 1:1; Hebrews 1:2-3; Colossians 1:15-16;

In the middle of the 4th century Christianity faced one of its greatest Christological challenges in the form of Arianism

Arius claim was that God was immutable, unique, unknowable and only one - therefore His substance could not be shared or communicated or shared by another being

This belief threatened to sweep aside orthodox Christianity

Until the Council of Nicaea pronounced Christ to be “of one substance with the Father” - countering the belief of the Arian’s that Christ was of a substance like the Father or that Christ was a completely created being

By His very nature and innate being Jesus Christ is, always has been and always will be God.

He did not give up His existence as God during the incarnation - what He did was willingly subject His divine attributes to limitations as a man

He came forth then, as God, with that which He had assumed; one Person in two natures, flesh and Spirit, of which the latter deified the former.

O new commingling; O strange conjunction!

The self-existent comes into being, the uncreated is created, that which cannot be contained is contained by the intervention of an intellectual soul mediating between the Deity and the corporeity of the flesh.

And He who gives riches becomes poor; for He assumes the poverty of my flesh, that I may assume the riches of His Godhead.

He who is full empties Himself; for He empties Himself of His Glory for a short while, that I may have a share in His fullness.

He who gives riches becomes poor; for He assumes the poverty of my flesh, that I may assume the riches of His Godhead.

He who is full empties Himself; for He empties Himself of His Glory for a short while, that I may have a share in His fullness.

~ Gregory of Nazianzus

Nor did He think of His status as something to be held on to - as something to be grasped

contrary to the look at Satan in Ezekiel 28:11-19 and Isaiah 14:12-20

but in obedience submitted to the will of the Father in perfect obedience

Obedient Savior

Philippians 2:7-8; Isaiah 50:5; Matthew 4:1-2; Matthew 4:3-11; John 7:3-5; Luke 4:16-22; Luke 11:14-16; John 6:66-67; Luke 13:34; Matthew 8:20; Luke 22:41-44; John 13:21-27; John 18:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:14, 19;

If the only deprivation that Christ’s obedience would have subjected Him to was the cross that would have been bad enough - but sometimes we forget or overlook the others that He was subjected to

Hunger

Matthew 4:1-2

Temptation

Matthew 4:3-11

Rejection

John 7:3-5; Luke 4:16-22

Ridicule

Luke 11:14-16

Discouragement

John 6:66-67; Luke 13:34

Homelessness

Matthew 8:20

Anxiety

Luke 22:41-44

Betrayal

John 13:21-27; John 18:1-3

Jesus obedience cost Him much both in life and death

And then His death - the Prince of Heaven, the Creator of the Universe hung on a tree like a common criminal his body ripped to shreds from the merciless beatings he had taken, his face bloodied from the fists of the soldiers and his beard having been ripped out, his brow pierced by the thorns of the crown

He who had the power to step down off that cross demonstrated the ultimate in humility and obedience by submitting Himself to the restraints of death

And if that were the end of the story - if His death were permanent - then we would have no hope.

But that wasn’t the end.

Christ has been raised and has been exalted.

And Paul goes on to describe...

Exalted Savior

Philippians 2:9-11; Matthew 1:20-21; John 4:25-26; Revelation 1:13-16;

The Jesus that was exalted to the right hand of God we have spent 2000 years trying to bring back down.

We have been entreated to Heavenly visits and stories of what Jesus is like

From a kind young man who takes Colton Burpo’s hand to Kim Walker-Smith’s Jesus Culture lead singer’s testimony about Jesus being like stretch armstrong.

We have made Him a best friend forever or a homeboy

Scripture gives us a vastly different picture of the exalted Savior

It is important not to overlook the name which God has bestowed on Christ

Jesus, Jeshua in the Hebrew, was a common name and is not the name that has been bestowed upon Him

It was his human name given upon His birth

Christ is not the name that has been bestowed upon Him

That is what His earthly mission consisted of

The name bestowed upon Christ is Lord - He is both savior and Lord - his death made Him our savior, His resurrection and exaltation made Him our Lord

It is also important not to overlook the importance of the last words that Paul writes - to the glory of God the Father

If it were us who died and was resurrected we would be pumping our fist and pounding our chests - look at me, look at what I did

But notice what Paul writes - to the glory of God the Father

Everything Christ did was to bring glory to His Father - that is humility.

Conclusion

So the question is put to you tonight - What will you do with the man, the Son of God, Jesus Christ?