Christmas Is Service - a podcast by Lewis Marsh

THE REALITY OF CHRISTMAS

Part One: Christmas Is Serving, Phil. 2: 5-7a

By Louie Marsh, 12-11-2022

 

Last Intro slide – mustache!

 

Intro.  Today we start our Christmas series of sermons by looking at what Christmas is supposed to be all about!  Remember that when you look at Christmas from a Biblical point of view you aren't concerned with what day or month it took place - since we aren't told that.  Instead you are concerned with what happened - and what it means.

 

CHRISTMAS =  SERVICE

 

1) Christmas means I should THINK like Jesus

 

“5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:5, ESV)

 

“16“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, ESV)

 

“2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)

 

2) Christmas means I should ACT like Jesus.

 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:3-5 (NIV)

 

• My ego must

 

• I should think about others, not just

 

• I should strive to always have a CHRISTLIKE

 

HOW DID JESUS DO THIS?

 

1) Jesus was, is & always will be GOD.

 

“6who, though he was in the form of God…(Philippians 2:6a, ESV)

 

“in the form of God” or “In Very Nature God”

 

"very nature" (NIV) "form"(others) = Morphi, which is used only here and vs. 7 in the New Testament.

 

Used in classical Gk. "to signify a form which truly and fully expresses the being which underlies it."

Here it means "the essential nature and character of God."

 

“1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1, ESV)

 

“19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,” (Colossians 1:19, ESV)

 

 

 

This means that Christ was and is God and CANNOT exist apart from being God.

 

2) Jesus didn’t try and HOARD what was His.

 

“6… did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,” (Philippians 2:6b, ESV)

 

Not Grasping= means "the act of snatching, or acquisitiveness."

 

Our thoughts about being God assumes that being God means always getting what you want - of always having your own way.

 

Jesus' attitude toward being God (and being God-like) was essentially giving.

 

God's true nature isn't one of selfish grabbing but of open handed giving! To be like God - is to give! 

 

3) He EMPTIED HIMSELF to save us all.

 

“7but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:7, ESV)

 

Poured Himself Out -some translate this "made himself nothing" literally means "to pour out."

 

Christ didn't hold on to Himself but poured out the riches of His grace and love to enrich all of us!

“form of a man” Like I said, Jesus was, is and ever will be God, but he also became a man. The ultimate act of humility and service.

 

“9But 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.” (Hebrews 2:9, ESV)

 

 

 

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