Death&Resurrection - a podcast by Lewis Marsh

The Reality of Christmas

Part Two: Death & Resurrection

By Louie Marsh, 12-18-2022

 

Intro. Last slide bad santa

 

“7but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:7–8, ESV)

 

1) Jesus became a SERVANT to save me.

 

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

 

2) He did this by BECOMING a human being.

 

. 8And being found in human form… (Philippians 2:8a ESV)

 

Notice the choice of the verb, not was, but became: entered into a new state. Likeness. The word does not imply the reality of our Lord’s humanity, as μορφή form implied the reality of His deity. That fact is stated in the form of a servant. Neither is εἰκών image employed, which, for our purposes, implies substantially the same as μορφή. See on Col. 1:15. As form of a servant exhibits the inmost reality of Christ’s condition as a servant—that He became really and essentially the servant of men. - Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 3 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 433.

 

Verse 6 is written in Gk. to mean that Christ has always existed as God, but vs. 7 says "being found" which means came into existence - as a man!

 

“14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, ESV)

 

3) So at Christmas God did the IMPOSSIBLE.

 

The reality of Christmas is that God became a man while remaining God!

 

• The incarnation is God ADDING to himself and becoming MORE THAN HE WAS!

 

- if such a thought is conceivable!

 

• The incarnation is God PRACTICING what he preached.

 

Jesus served first – his whole earthly life, note the washing of the feet, and THEN he commanded us to serve!

 

4) Jesus calls me to be what he was – OBEDIENT TO DEATH.

 

he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8b, ESV)

 

 

He humbled Himself - His whole life was one of humility.

He died for us - that we might be saved.

 

• He died the WORST WAY

 

Died EVEN on the cross.

 

“2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)

 

The Jews hated the Cross so did the Romans.

 

Cicero wrote: "Let the very name of the cross be far away not only from the body of a Roman citizen, but even from his thoughts, his eyes, his ears."

 

5) Because of this God SUPER EXALTED Jesus!

 

“9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (Philippians 2:9, ESV)

 

"exalted" = "to raise someone to the loftiest height"  "To super-exalt."

 

Written in the Aorist tense - referring to a definite point in time - the resurrection!

 

6) There’s only one way to respond to this – CONFESS Jesus as my Lord!

 

10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10–11, ESV)

 

He Is Lord

 

His Name is above all names - and is the key to salvation

 

Notice the confessional formula in verse 11.

ALL scholars agree that "Jesus Christ is Lord" is the earliest form of confession in the church.

 

“23By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’” (Isaiah 45:23, ESV)

 

Becoming a Christian is committing yourself to live under Christ's LORDSHIP!!

 

Further episodes of River Church Sermons

Further podcasts by Lewis Marsh

Website of Lewis Marsh