Project 119: Philippians 2:1-11
| Project 119 | Hayden Walker
"From Glory, Back to Glory"
There is perhaps no greater passage of Scripture which describes the glory of Christ our King as the One who was and is and is to come than Philippians 2. In verses 6–11, Paul recorded the Christ Hymn, which traces the narrative arc of Jesus’ glory with the Father before the incarnation (Philippians 2:6), His humility during His life on earth which culminated upon the cross (Philippians 2:7–8), and His return to glory which will endure forever (Philippians 2:9–11). In Christ, we see the pattern of what it truly means to love others: considering their interests above our own (Philippians 2:4).
In contrast to the fleshly desire of humanity to strive toward our own glorification, God emptied Himself of His glory to become a human. It was the greatest role reversal in history. The King of all kings left His heavenly throne to become an inhabitant in His kingdom. What happened in Bethlehem is only as astounding as it should be when we recall what Christ left behind and that to which He returned after His Resurrection. Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, equal with God the Father from eternity past. Many babies have been laid in mangers, but this Baby breathed life into the trees from which the manger was crafted and saw to it that seeds would grow into the hay in which He rested.
From the manger to the cross, Christ lived a life of humility. The lowly Jesus is the One whom is often on our minds. However, that is an incomplete picture of our King. Jesus is now exalted at the right hand of the Father (Philippians 2:9), and all will bow before this glorious King one day. We have the opportunity to begin worshipping Him now. The Magi who visited Baby Jesus got it right: “They saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him” (Matthew 2:11a NIV). Let us bow before our King, and while we’re on our knees, let us humbly serve others as Christ did.
Philippians 2:1-11 (ESV):
Christ’s Example of Humility
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 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. 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. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 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.