Unity in Christ Philippians 2:5-11 - May 31, 2020

Philippians Main Idea

Paul writes to the church encouraging them in key areas of Gospel advancement and warning them in key areas of Gospel opposition.

Passage Main Idea

Christian unity results from adoring and imitating Jesus Christ.

Explanation & Discussion

What does living a life worthy of the Gospel look like? Continuing with the flow from “to live is Christ, to die is gain”, Paul is exhorting the Philippian church to live as life worthy of the Gospel. Paul explains what a Christ-like lifestyle that proves the Gospel will look like. Not only does unity against Gospel opposition prove the Gospel in our lives, but so does unity within the body of Christ. Unity in Christ flows from humility and considering others as more significant than yourselves. Paul shows that only through adoring Christ and emulating Christ, can we have unity in Christ and in the body of Christ.

1. The Humility of Christ - 2:5-8 Christian unity only comes from imitating the mindset of humility that we find in Christ Jesus. Jesus did not cling to the form of God that He already had, but He willingly emptied Himself of what He deserved, in order to become the form of a man and a servant. He also humbled Himself to accept the death that humans deserved. Christ set the ultimate example for us to follow in how to humbly consider others more significant than ourselves. Followers of Christ must imitate this example in order to pursue Christian unity.

• Who was your role model as your were growing up? Why did you want to be like them? • If Christ was our role model, what would be different in our lives? • How is Christ’s example of humility different than the humility that we see in this world? • When you compare what Christ deserved to what Christ willingly received, what does this

teach you about godly humility? • What often stops us from godly humility in our lives like Christ exemplified? Explain. • Read Isaiah 53 and spend some time thinking about how essential Christ’s humility is to

Christ’s atonement for our sins.

2. The Exaltation of Christ - 2:9-11 Christ’s incomparable self-humiliation leads to His super-exaltation just as Christ prophesied in Luke 18:14. First, Christ is exalted to the highest position and given a name above every name (probably refers to “Lord”). Second, it is pointed out that Christ will be worshipped by everyone and everything. Christ’s universal Lordship will bring everyone to adore Him and confess that He is Lord. Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and exaltation all bring glory to God the Father. As we humble ourselves in Christ, then we will be exalted by God in eternity, which will bring God the glory in the end.

• What does this humility and exaltation process teach us about the character of God? • Why do we want Jesus worshipped by all as Lord? How do we pursue this in our lives? • How does the humility of Christ advance the Gospel? How can our proclamation of His

humility advance the Gospel? • Why did Christ do all of this just to bring glory to God the Father? • What do you do in your life to bring glory to God the Father? How does this compare to

what Christ did? • Spend some time praying for a deeper desire to live for God’s glory.

More References

Luke 18:14 - “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

1 Corinthians 15:28 - “When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.”

Isaiah 53 - See Bible

Luke 22:42 - “saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Revelation 5:13-14 - “And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

Psalm 110:1 - “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

Daniel 7:14 - And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Ephesians 1:20-23 - "that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fi lls all in all.”

Hebrews 2:9-10 - “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fi tting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.”

Psalm 149:4 - “For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.”

Augustine - “If you plan to build a tall house of virtues, you must fi rst lay deep foundations of humility.”

C.S. Lewis - “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”

Martin Luther - “God created the world out of nothing; so as long as we are nothing, he can make something out of us.”

Blaise Pascal - “Those who have known God without knowing their wretchedness have not glorified him, but have glorified themselves.

Hunter First Baptist Church

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