Philippians 2:1-11 • Live as Christ in Joyful Service, Part 1

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Do you know what it means to conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ especially believers in a church community? Whose example do you follow in serving others? In the last article in this series, we looked at how to have a joyous perspective on life as we say with Paul, “To live is Christ.” This is post #6 in the Philippians blog series. In this post, we will see how we can follow the perfect example of Christ in how should serve one another.

Listen to this post as a similar podcast from the Knowing Jesus…Knowing Joy! Bible Study covering Philippians in the New Testament. (10 lessons)

To Live AS Christ

In a manner worthy of Christ

In Philippians chapter 1, Paul urges the church in this way,

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospelwithout being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. (Philippians 1:27-28)

“Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ and stand firm.” How does one do that? And what would it look like?

From the beginning of chapter 2, Paul answers those questions.

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:1-4)

You are conducting yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ when believers in a church community are one spirit in heart and mind, are united in focus to make more and better followers of Christ, and are serving one another.

Following His example

And since Jesus is living His life in you and through you, His life is the example of how to do that.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5)

Following His example would be to live as Christ.

The next six verses are some of the most beautiful words ever penned Yet, as beautiful as they are, they’re not just inserted there unrelated to the rest of the letter. They fit into the context. Jesus is given as the perfect example of a servant. His example should encourage us to have servants’ hearts. Not just to serve one another, but the focus should be “to live as Christ” in how we serve one another. That would be joyful service.

This naturally leads to 3 questions: 1) Who is Christ? 2) How is He the perfect example of a servant? 3) What does it mean to live as Christ in how we serve one another? We’ll cover questions 1 and 2 in this blog and question 3 in the next one.

Question 1: Who Is Jesus Christ?

Who is Jesus Christ? This, of course, is a very important question. If we are going to live as Christ, we need to know why.

The Christ hymn

Paul wrote these beautiful words which are often called a “Christ hymn,” one of four in the New Testament.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)

Someone named Jesus is to receive worship that only belongs to God.

He is worthy of worship

One of the charges made against Christianity from the beginning is that we worship 3 Gods: The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Do Christians believe in more than one God? No. Emphatically the Bible teaches that there is one God only. We believe in one God Who exists in three persons. All three are one God; each is not the other. This is how God has revealed Himself in the Scriptures. We don’t have to understand it or explain it. It is truth to accept and backed by evidence. There are many verses in the New Testament where all three are mentioned together in their various roles.

So what do Christians believe about Jesus Christ?

One God in three persons

We believe that Jesus Christ is One Person, who possesses two natures: divine and human. He is 100% God and 100% human.

Jesus Christ is fully God in His eternal divine nature. Our passage today equates Jesus with God.

Jesus Christ is fully human but without sin. The second person of our triune God took on a human nature and body when He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary.

In the first 200 years after Jesus’ death, several heresies cropped up that lessened Jesus’ deity or lessened His humanity, not unlike what we see today. So the early church came to an agreement about all of this in AD 325 at the Council of Nicaea, a town in modern-day Turkey. This agreement is called the Nicene Creed. It has stood since that time as an accurate representation of the Bible’s teaching.

At another council 125 years later, Jesus’ complete divinity and humanity were confirmed. Since then, all Christian denominations—Protestant and Roman Catholic—agree on these 2 issues. God is one in essence, three in person; Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man.

Jesus Christ as man is God. Which leads us to the next big question.

Question 2: How Is Jesus the Perfect Example of a Servant?

Jesus is our perfect example because He illustrates in Himself four characteristics of a true servant.

Servant example #1. Jesus thought of others before Himself.

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing. (Philippians 2:6-7a)

Although God, He did not consider that high position as something that He could not give up. Some translations use the words “emptied himself” which leaves us with a word picture of Jesus pouring Himself out and giving Himself away. That is the opposite of using His divine attributes for His own advantage.

Did He cease being God? No. As God, He could not and did not give up His divine attributes or nature. But He laid aside His glory and the independent use of His own attributes as God.

He chose to accept human limitations—the body and nature of a man—and live on earth dependent on the will of God the Father. He needed to do that for us, to fulfill our need. That’s what the scripture says in Hebrews chapter 2,

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil…For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:14,17)

For more discussion of Jesus as being fully God and fully human, read the blog, “Stop the “Jesus Is Not Lord over All” Infection.”

Servant example #2. Jesus used that physical body of His to be a servant.

rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:7)

The word translated as servant is more specifically a bondservant—someone in bondage or servitude to someone else. Jesus did not pretend to be a servant. He was not an actor playing a role. Throughout the Gospels, we see Him willingly serving others.

Of importance to us as women, Jesus demonstrated that He loves women by serving them while He was on earth.

He spoke to them publicly when a rabbi wouldn’t even speak publicly to his wife.

He let women travel with Him during His public ministry. A definite no-no for rabbis.

He let women be the first witnesses to His resurrection.

He was sensitive toward women, performing miracles for them out of His compassion.

He never spoke condescendingly to women, never made derogatory jokes about women, never humiliated or exploited women.

And women of His day responded to His example and His love by doing the same.

Did you know that a number of women traveled with Jesus, helping to support Him and His dozen hungry disciples out of their own means? We read this in Luke chapter 8. They were giving of themselves, no doubt doing the laundry and some on-the-road cooking. They loved Him.

And women today who know Him love Him and want to serve Him out of love and gratitude for what He has done for us. And He still serves us in His resurrected body as our High Priest who intercedes for us in prayer.

Read more about Jesus’ love for us as women in this blog, “New Testament Women • Trust Jesus to satisfy your heart needs.”

Servant example #3. Jesus sacrificed His body on the cross and willingly died.

And being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8)

As God, Jesus experienced the ugliness of evil by His own choice. What happened on the cross shows us the ugliness of all of our sin, not just that of the Romans and Jewish leaders. Jesus got on that cross and endured that ugliness for us.

Hebrews chapter 12 tells us why He endured that ugliness for us,

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

With the joy of our redemption and His glorification set before Him, He endured the cross.

One important truth here: His human body died; His human soul and His divine nature did not.

For more discussion about how God turned the ugliness of evil on the cross into beauty for us, read the blog, “God Makes Ugly Beautiful.”

Servant example #4. Jesus glorified God as He sacrificed for us.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Jesus humbled Himself: Because Jesus humbled Himself, God the Father raised Him to the height of exaltation. According to the Greek, he literally “super-exalted” Him. This process included Jesus’ resurrection, His ascension, and His glorification in heaven when He took back to heaven His glorified human body. Did you know that when we see Jesus, He will still be like us! Head, body, arms, legs.

God the Father exalted Him: And God exalted even His name. When you say “Lord Jesus,” the name of Jesus is no longer a name like Peter, Paul, or Pilate. It now embodies the whole blessed, glorious revelation of our Savior. It is to Him that every knee will bow. Those knees include believers who have died and whose spirits have gone into the Lord’s presence. They include those who still live on earth. And those knees include every unbeliever who has died and gone to the place of waiting until God resurrects them and judges them guilty of rejecting Him. And every being represented by those knees will also declare verbally that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Jesus is ruler: To all those Roman citizens in Philippi and throughout the Empire, Paul declared that Jesus Christ is the real Ruler, not the Roman emperor! By this universal confession of Jesus Christ as Lord, God will receive “glory.” Jesus Christ’s purpose is, and always has been, and always will be to glorify “God the Father.”

For more information about Jesus as king, read the blogs, “Mark 1 • Jesus and the Kingdom of God” and “Zechariah 9-14 • Your King Comes.”

We submit to Him: We are to submit to God and to one another for the glory of God, as Jesus did. The power of a positive example is very strong. Paul pointed to Jesus Christ as the perfect example for us of a true and joyful servant. We’ll see in the next blog how Paul used Timothy and Epaphroditus as examples also.

What About You?

If you have never chosen to bow your knee to Jesus and say that He is Lord, now is the perfect time. You know who this Jesus is, you can decide to trust in Him today. And you will receive not only eternal life and the life of Christ in you, but God will also fill your heart with His joy.

In the next post, we will see more of what it looks like to live AS Christ in joyful service.

Want to have joy in your life?

Let Jesus satisfy your heart with the fullness of His joy. Then, live in that joy!

All of the above information is covered in the Knowing Jesus…Knowing Joy! Bible Study covering Philippians in the New Testament.

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