Being in Awe of Jesus

Philippians 2:5-11

We should be in awe of Jesus!

• Philippians 2:5-11 – Four gospel truths that tell us why we should

be in awe of Jesus– The gospel truth is that…

• JESUS IS GOD• JESUS BECAME HUMAN• JESUS IS OUR SAVIOR• JESUS IS LORD

The Christmas Story

• Jesus was willing to do the unnatural thing – The supernatural thing - to bring Himself low– Willing to humble Himself, even to the point of death on the

cross

• Have you ever wondered what it was like in heaven before the first Christmas?

– What was it like for Jesus before He came to earth?– He was the Co-creator with the Father and Holy Spirit– Life in heaven was characterized by all that was perfect– A way of life characterized by true joy– Limitless existence with all glory and privilege

• Jesus choose to leave all that!– Because of the love He had for His creation, He decided to

come to earth for you and me

Philippians 2:5-115 Let this mind be in you which was also in

Christ Jesus,

6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:5-11

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is God - vv. 5-6

• The Nature of Jesus – Continues to be debated.…Newsweek and Time– Jesus is always considered to be one of the great

religious leaders of all time• Buddha, Confucius, Moses, Mohammed, and Jesus

– All their websites mention Jesus and compare them to some worldly view of Him!

– Doug Gresham – when you search for truth, you will run head on into Jesus!

– But the Bible does not place Jesus alongside religious leaders!

– The Bible says that Jesus, by His very nature, is God!

Jesus is God - vv. 5-6

• Jesus was in the form of God– “form” = “morphe” = shape or nature - that

which is essential to one’s nature and character

– Morphe is an outward expression of an inward reality

• Jesus is the outward expression of the inward essence of God

• What He is today, He has always been and will always be

– Paul describes this in Colosians 1:15-20…

Colossians 1:15-19 (NLT)15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed

before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.

16 Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him.

17 He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.

18 Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything.

19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross.

Jesus is God - vv. 5-6

• Jesus is Immanuel “God with us” (Matthew 1:23)

– Throughout His life, He proved it– He gave signs for those who are willing to see them– He calmed a storm, establishing His authority over

nature– He cast out demons, demonstrating authority over

the spiritual realm– He healed cripples, signifying His authority over

disease– He even raised Lazarus out of his grave, proving

that He had authority over death

Jesus Became a Human - vv. 7-8

• Jesus was found in appearance as a man– John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt

among us…

• Richard Nixon– Said in a speech that the greatest moment in

human history was when man walked on the moon – Billy Graham corrected him and said, “No, the

greatest moment in history was not when man walked on the moon but when God walked on earth.”

– God walked the earth in the form of Jesus– It was both extraordinary and ordinary!

Limitations• Jesus imposed limitations on His earthly

appearance– “He did not count equality with God a thing to be

grasped”– For 33 years, the privileges of being God in full

glory were set aside and He became limited by space and time

• God experienced flesh and bones• He suffered and grieved• He got thirsty and hungry• He was frustrated and disappointed• He could no longer be everywhere at one time• He had to have clothes to wear• If you hit Him, it would hurt• If you cut him, He bled

Humility

• Never underestimate the humility of the Incarnation!

• The pictures of Christmas all look so pristine

– There was no sweat, or worn out clothes– No smells that come with being in a barn– God was born - birth is messy, painful– Then He was placed in a manger – a

feeding trough for cattle!

Humility

• Jesus was born to a carpenter’s family in an occupied country

– His parents lived in Galilee, a backwoods area, from a small village that no one ever heard of

– His mission was to communicate God to people, but He had little success in numbers of people

– Jesus was righteous and just, yet He was hated and condemned by every traditional religious authority

– Then He was betrayed by His closest friends• brought up on false charges• tried before a prejudiced people and a cowardly judge

• Jesus became human for a reason

Jesus is Our Savior - vv. 7-8

• His love– He made himself nothing, taking the form of

a servant• Humans were given a perfect place to live; but

we messed it up• We were given the opportunity to live for God,

but we messed that up too• We were given law to live by, but we did not have

the ability to do it

– Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

Colossians 1:19-23 (NLT)19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace

with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross.

21 This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions,

22 yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

Jesus is Our Savior - vv. 7-8

• Jesus did not come to be recognized or praised by the world

– He did not seek the prestige of this world– He made Himself of no reputation– But instead of appreciating this and

embracing Him, people rejected Him– No one really listened, not even His own

disciples!

Martin Luther

Lord Jesus,

You are my righteousness,

I am Your sin;

You have taken upon Yourself what was mine.

You have set upon me what was Yours.

You have become what You were not

That I might become what I was not.

“born that man no more may die”

• B.C. – The little ant , “Dad, who is Jesus?”– The father ant, “He’s the reason for the

season” – The little ant, “But Dad, I thought Santa

Claus was the reason” – The father ant, “He is - if you prefer

Nintendo to everlasting life”

Jesus is Lord - vv. 9-11

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.

Jesus is Lord - vv. 9-11

• The Contrast of the Incarnation and the Exaltation

– Jesus went from a birth in a smelly stable to the highest place imaginable

– Jesus was once a weak, helpless baby, but now is the ruler and Lord of the universe

• Lordship: both a universal and a personal issue

– A personal decision about Jesus is still required

– We know enough!

The Indescribable Christ D. S. Lockridge

• “He’s enduringly strong, He’s entirely sincere, He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful. He’s God’s Son.

• He’s a sinner’s savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He’s supreme. He’s preeminent.

The Indescribable Christ D. S. Lockridge

• He’s the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest idea in philosophy. He’s the fundamental truth in theology. He’s the miracle of the age.

• He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick, He cleans the lepers. He forgives sinners, He discharges debtors, He delivers captives, He defends the feeble, He blesses the young, He serves the unfortunate, He regards the aged, He rewards the diligent, He beautifies the meek. Do you know Him?

The Indescribable Christ D. S. Lockridge

• Well, my king is the king of knowledge, He’s the well-spring of wisdom, He’s the doorway of deliverance, He’s the pathway of peace, He’s the roadway of righteousness, He’s the highway of holiness He’s the gateway of glory, He’s the master of the mighty, He’s the captain of the conquerors, He’s the head of the heroes, He’s the leader of the legislators, He’s the overseer of the overcomers, He’s the governor of governors, He’s the prince of princes, He’s the king of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

The Indescribable Christ D. S. Lockridge

• His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

• Well. I wish I could describe Him to you. But He’s indescribable. Yes. He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible, He’s irresistible.

• I’m trying to tell you, the Heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explain Him. You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hands. You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him. Well. The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him. That’s my king!

The Indescribable Christ D. S. Lockridge

• He always has been, and He always will be. I’m talking about He [who] had no predecessor and He [who] has no successor. There was nobody before Him and there will be nobody after Him. You can’t impeach Him, and He’s not going to resign. We try to get prestige and honor and glory to ourselves, but the glory is all His. Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and when you get through with all of the forevers, then "Amen.“

• And then Lockridge says… “Oh I wish I could describe him to you.”

Are you in awe of Jesus?

• He has given us the example– He has demonstrated self-sacrifice– He has shown us love– But if Jesus had looked at things the way we do, we

would never have had Christmas.

• Are you in awe of Jesus?– He is truly awesome!– Jesus set aside the powers and comforts of heaven

to come on earth to walk as a man– It is that kind of love that deserves worship – Be in awe of Jesus - He is the King of kings and the

Lord of lords!

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