Implications of the Incarnation

Let us seek to apply Philippians 2:3-11 to our lives this week. It reads

Philippians 2:3-11 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Yesterday we saw three implications of the incarnation:

1. Pursue Humble Service

Christ existed in the very form of God, but did not clinch with a tight fist the equality that He had with God, but instead emptied Himself (made Himself of no reputation) and took the form of a slave.

If Jesus took the is God and yet took the role of a slave, do you think you deserve better?
We ought to humble serve one another in the body of Christ: whether physical needs or spiritual needs (ministerying the word to one another).

2. Pursue Purposeful Sacrifice

The second implication of the incarnon is to purue purposeful sacrifice. Verse 8 says that Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. Christ intentionally sacrificed for others. The death of Christ is an example to us, but not a mere example because it actually accomplished something by bearing the weight of our sin and guilt.

So we too ought to intentionally and purposefully sacrifice for others.

3. Pursue Proper Glory

Christ sought to be obedient to the Father and ultimately all that was done was for the glory of the Father (v.11). So we too ought not to pursue vain or empty glory v.3, but proper glory. We ought to pursue the glory of God and ultimately God will vindicate Christ and His exaltation and glory will be our exaltation and glory.

Let us fix firmly the glorious incarnation of our Lord to our hearts this week.