High and Lifted Up

book of Philippians, which book
we have been studying at Providence for some months now. And so I
take you to a passage that we have considered already. And
I’m sure you have, too. In times past, it is a great
and even glorious passage pertaining to the Lord Jesus Christ. We’ll
be looking at verses nine through eleven of chapter two, but we’re
going to set the context if we could for just a moment. I want
to take you back all the way to chapter two, verse one, where
Paul really begins to expand on something that he had already
introduced as a concept, if you will. in chapter 1, verse 27,
and that of church unity, or in the case of the Philippian
church, the lack thereof. We don’t know exactly what the
cause was. In most of the churches to which
Paul wrote, he did address the issue of unity. There was always seemingly in
churches which were filled with saints, but saints nonetheless
that had a latent issue to contend with. There were always those
issues in a variety of churches pertaining to church unity. And
such was the case in the Philippian church. Unlike so many churches,
the Philippian church didn’t struggle with doctrinal differences. But they did struggle with church
unity. They did struggle with factions and groups and bitter
rivalries. And Paul seeks to address that
throughout this epistle. In chapter four, he even names
names. Well, Suffice it to say that
he is taking a more positive tack first. He mentioned the
issue of unity in chapter one, verse twenty seven, almost in
passing. But in chapter two, he really
begins to focus in on it. Look at verses one through four,
if you would. And he essentially lays out those
elements of grace that contribute to the unity of the church. Look
at chapter two, verse one. If there is any encouragement
in Christ, if there’s any consolation of love, if there’s any fellowship
of the Spirit and any affection and compassion, he says that
there is an infinitesimal amount, a tiny little bit of those things. Those are the things that are
eventually in seed form going to contribute to the unity of
the church. He goes on, still in the theme
of unity, to talk about what is that seed to look like once
it begins to grow and flourish? What does it look like? In chapter
2, verse 2, he begins to see that seed grown up and presents
it to the Philippian church. He says a church that is united
is a church, first of all, that’s like minded and it’s loving and
it’s bonded together and it is focused. Look at verse 2. Make
my joy complete by being of the same mind. That’s what a unified
church looks like when it’s grown up. being of the same mind, maintaining
the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. So that’s the apostles positive
approach to the local church to say, look, these are the things
that need to be there. He wasn’t doubting that in the
case of the Philippian church. He just says if those are there,
even in their minutest form, Those elements in time, they
will grow and flourish and produce a unified body. But first. But first, the church and the
members in it need to rise up and strike a death blow to vanity,
because that’s what will kill church unity. He presents two simple steps.
Look at verses three and four. Do nothing from selfishness or
empty conceit, but with humility of mind, let each of you regard
one another as more important than himself. Do not merely look
out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of
others. He basically says there’s two
simple things that must be cultivated by the saints in the church. that are going to preserve the
unity that God is working in. Otherwise, we cut down that tree
that God is trying to grow. We must have a greater esteem
of others than we do even of ourselves and a greater practical
care of them. And you would think that Paul
here can sign off, grace to you, and sign off on this great epistle. But Paul knows that the situation
in the Philippian church is so desperate and they are literally
ready to come apart at the seams, to gouge each other’s eyes and
to tear apart the unity that God had already worked in. And
so Paul goes and pulls out all the stops and he uses the greatest
illustration for humility that is so necessary in the church.
He uses the illustration beyond all illustrations, the illustrations
of Christ. Look at verse five, if you would.
Have this attitude in yourselves, and Paul doesn’t even tell them
what the attitude is. It’s assumed. It’s assumed that
it is so needed there from carried forth from chapter two, verse
one. It’s so necessary and so needed. He doesn’t even point to what
it is immediately. But as soon as he mentions Christ,
we know. Have this attitude in yourselves,
which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he existed in the
form of God, did not regard equality with God, a thing to be grasped,
that is selfishly maintained. But emptying himself, taking
the form of a bond servant, being made in the likeness of men,
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Jesus here in Paul’s illustration
is being moved along on a path to glory. But there are distinct
steps along that pathway, milestones, if you will. The first milestone
was the noble mindset of Christ. Look at it. Have this attitude,
this mindset in Christ, which was also in Christ, who even
though he existed in the form of God, and you can hear where
Paul’s going with this. Here is Christ who exists in
the form of God. And it doesn’t mean that He was
God in form only. He was fully God. But here He
is in eternity past existing in the very form of God. And
He humbled Himself. He didn’t regard equality with
God this thing to be graspingly retained at all cost. But He emptied Himself. not only
a noble mindset, but a selfless mitigation. He let go. He emptied
himself, not of his deity, taking the form of a bondservant and
being made in the likeness of men. He released that presence
of God where he was in glory to take on human flesh. our human
flesh and to be made in the likeness of men. And then he took on this
dignified mission. Look at verse eight again, being
found in appearance as a man. Finally, Paul says he humbled
himself. He humbled himself by becoming
obedient. To the point of death, even death
on the cross, that’s why I say there is no greater illustration.
If you’re going to talk about humility, That grace that is
so needed in the church that it’s absolutely requisite if
you’re going to have a church that is unified, you’re going
to have a church that is composed and comprised of humble saints. And there is no greater illustration
than that of Christ, that if Christ humbled himself, who am
I and who are you? There is a biblical principle
that is replete throughout Scripture. Whoever humbles himself will
be exalted. Matthew 23, 12. Whoever humbles
himself shall be exalted. Whoever humbles himself shall
be exalted. Whoever exalts himself, on the
other hand, shall be humbled, made low. Luke 14, 11, same Verse
18-14, I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather
than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. You know the passage
in James. Same principle. He gives a greater
grace. James 4.6, therefore it says,
God is opposed to the proud that gives grace to the humble. Whoever humbles himself shall
be exalted.” 1 Peter 5.5 Speaking of the church and the young men
in the church, you younger men likewise be subject to your elders
and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.
For God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble
and never was that more true than with regards to our Lord
Jesus Christ. This is the doctrine of Scripture
that in dying for men, and because He did die for them, He has won
Himself eternal renown. Jesus, in humbling Himself to
becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross,
met with the greatest of the Father’s blessing. That was that
elevation, that exaltation that is beyond all others. Jesus Christ
is now high and lifted up. And what we have in view in this
passage is the Father’s glorification of the Son. The Father’s glorification
of the Son. It is one of the most glorious
passages in all of Scripture, because in essence, it echoes
that great statement. It is finished. It is finished. Look at verse 9. Therefore also, because Christ
didn’t exalt Himself, because He didn’t maintain His equality
with God, a thing to be grasped, because He emptied Himself, because
He humbled Himself, therefore also, God highly exalted Him. and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow of those who are in heaven and on earth and under
the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” Jesus Christ is high
and lifted up. He’s high and lifted up now because
of what the Father did. Because the father saw that Christ
was not so proud as to maintain that position. He saw a greater
mission at hand. And he emptied himself, he emptied
himself of that glorious privilege of being in heaven with God,
and he took on human flesh, he humbled himself to that point. We want to look at three elements.
of the Father’s glorification in the Son this morning. And
let’s rejoice in doing so. This is glorious truth. The Father’s
glorification in the Son. First of all, the Father exalted
the Lord Jesus Christ, first and foremost, for humility. It is God’s response to Jesus’
self-humbling, as we just looked. That is the structure of this
passage. The beautiful thing about language
is that there is structure. And that point there of verse
9 that therefore points us back to those previous verses. The
very fact that Jesus didn’t regard equality with God a thing to
be grasped, but the fact that He emptied Himself and He humbled
Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death. It is
that that prompted the Father It is that that prompted the
Father to highly exalt Christ. The verb highly exalt occurs
only in this place in all of the New Testament. That’s why
I said this is a glorious passage. We absolutely, as saints, needed
this passage. We needed this testimony of Scripture
to look into the very throne room of God and watch what the
Father’s response was to Christ. And to his humility, the verb,
though, occurs only in this place in all of Scripture. But it’s
not unlike words that Paul makes. Paul was an inventor of words
of sorts. Paul glues words together and
in a sense, makes words. I had a buddy that used to do
that a lot. We have a president that does it occasionally. Paul
was really adept at this, though, in grasping for terms. Sometimes
he would just glue terms together and put them out there. And now
they’re words that we use on a regular basis. Romans 5.20. The law came in so that the transgression
would increase, but where sin increased, grace abounded all
the more, super abounded. Grace, Paul glues those words
together, and it’s almost like you can take that word super
and glue it on every word that Paul uses in this context. Romans 7.13. You know, the passage, therefore,
did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May
it never be. Rather, it was sin in order that it might be shown
to be sin by affecting my death through that which is good so
that through the commandment sin to have become utterly sinful,
super sinful. That’s it. That’s what he’s doing. I’d love to go on to coffee with
him, wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t even need the coffee
by the time you were done. First Corinthians twelve thirty
one. but earnestly desire the greater gifts, and I will show
you still a more excellent way.” I will show you a super excellent
way. 2 Corinthians 10.14, for we are
not overextending ourselves. We are not super stretching ourselves,
are we? That’s what Paul says. Ephesians
3.20, one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture. Now, to
him who is able to do more abundantly, not good enough. Now, to him
who is able to do super abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. That’s Paul. Second Thessalonians 1 3, we
are always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is
only fitting because your faith is greatly enlarged and the love
of each one of you grows towards one another ever greater. It’s
super grows. That’s what you’ve got to do
with this word. And so when you come to this passage, therefore,
God super exalted Christ. He exalted him above and beyond
anything like no one has ever been exalted. God, the Father, elevated the
Son. In a transcendent, the absolutely
magnanimously glorious way, we can’t even we can’t even invent
words Great enough to describe what God did on the son’s behalf. Jesus received a place of honor
and majesty far beyond any others and is accordingly now seated
at the right hand of God’s throne. As I said, that compound term,
it’s a grasp at describing the immeasurable height to which
Christ was exalted. It wasn’t a common obedience
that Christ had entered into, and therefore, it merits no common
reward. Nothing can be lower than the
degradation of the cross, especially for God. So nothing, no place is too high. Nothing could be higher than
the crown that Christ now wears as our mediator. As one said,
infinite condescension merits infinite glory. What this points
to is that historical moment of the resurrection, which was
crowned by the ascension and Christ seated at the right hand.
Let me have you turn because Paul loves this subject. Turn
over to the book of Ephesians and he deals with it there as
well. The book of Ephesians. Go to
chapter 1, verse 18. Paul, as the good pastor, tells
his church that he’s praying for them and he wants to pray
for them. And then he tells them for what he prays. I pray, verse
18, that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you
may know what the hope of His calling, what are the riches
of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, what is the surpassing
greatness of His power towards us who believe, These are in
accordance with the working of the strength of His might, which
He brought about in Christ.” You know what’s interesting there?
There are three powerful words for power. Working, strength,
might. This is the almighty power of
Almighty God that effected this very thing. Look at the passage. These are in accordance with
the working of the strength of His might, which He brought about
in Christ when He raised Him from the dead. And He seated
Him at the right hand in the heavenly places, far above all
rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that
is named, not only in this age, but in the one to come. And he
put all things in subjection under his feet and gave him as
head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness
of him who fills all in all.” Paul looked on the Ephesian church and he prays this prayer. It’s
just an amazing prayer. We struggle as a church. We get
together and when we have prayer requests, we go around and we
pray about my friends, aunts, neighbors, Mabel’s dog and the
stitches that he has to have out. Right? That’s the depth
of our prayer request. Paul takes us… I mean, you’re
just so humbled by the time you get done reading this and how
feeble our prayer lives tend to be. Paul says, I want you
to know what God did and how powerful a God we serve and how
far He exalted our glorious Lord. Paul wanted his church, in which God providentially had
allowed Paul to have a hand in planting, to look upon these
Ephesian believers that he saw That he saw in them a work of
faith, a vital growth, but he wanted them to know, deeply know
what God had done. That he raised Christ, that he
seated Christ. This is throne room language.
This is to be seated at the right hand of the Father, the glorious
Lord. to put all things in subjection
under his feet.” This is the flip side of authority, if you
will. Not only elevation, but now subjection that everything
is beneath Christ. 1 Corinthians says it as well.
He has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he says
all things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is accepted,
that is God. God didn’t stoop below Christ
as it were. He put him back on the throne
with him. One pastor described it when
it said he said Christ is not only exalted above all creatures,
but he has dominion over them all. are placed in absolute subjection
to him. All are made to include all creatures
capable of subjection, all beings except God alone. And fourthly, and this is the one
that touches us most specifically, God gave him as head. I always
cringe when I hear people describe their church, my church. It’s
not our church. It’s Christ’s church. Christ
is the head. That solves a lot of arguments
right there. So we have here in view the glorification
of the crucified Christ. And it was from this particular
passage, if you’d flip back to Philippians 2, it’s the father’s
reward. It’s the father’s supreme blessing
of Christ for what he had done, his humility. This exaltation,
as we said, took place through Christ’s ascension. But it refers,
it goes beyond and refers to a state of transcendent glory
where Christ is there, including seating at the right hand, as
we just considered. His lordship over the living
and the dead. Romans 14, 9 echoes that. His reign in glory. Christ is
high and lifted up. And you say, well, how can that
be? Because He was God already. If the Father super-exalted Him,
as you suggest, is that a place higher than the Father’s place?
No. Scripture clearly argues against that. But Paul here seems
to refer to the distance traveled, if you will. All of us drove
here this morning, right? I didn’t see any horses out there.
Most of us drove here this morning. Some of us took a super trip.
We have folks that drive down regularly from Laramie, some
from Greeley, perhaps some of you further distance. They took
a great, even a greater distance than others, and that seems to
be the language in view with Paul. That in relation to his
low place, no person had ever stooped so low. No one had ever
come from the place of glory to the place of humanity. God highly exalted him, not to
a place higher than he was before the incarnation, but back again
to his rightful place. No one had ever and no one ever
will be so highly exalted as Christ to go from such a low
estate to such a high and lofty estate. And so, this is a return
to prominence and glory. And this is exactly that for
which Jesus prayed with His Apostles there in John 17, Now, Father,
glorify me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with
You before the world was. Jesus is right back where He
was, but it was a super exaltation because of how low Jesus had
stooped for you. And for me, there’s a second
element that I want to consider this morning, the father exalted
the Lord Jesus Christ, not only for humility. But with honor. The father exalted the Lord Jesus
Christ with honor. And he attended this blessing,
this is attended rather with the blessing of his name. Let’s
consider this. Look at verse nine, if you would.
Therefore, God also highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name. This word bestowed, we use simpler
language to give or to give a gift, it is to to give someone something
that is bestowed is a more formal sounding word and it’s freely
bestowed. God. gave to Christ this name as a
gift in response to all that Christ had done. And the question
is, what is this name that was bestowed? Some have said it was
Jesus or Son of God or Lord or God or Christ Jesus or Messiah. And there are many other suggestions. Some even said that in a general
sense, it’s the name like the Shema. The general sense of revealed
majesty and glory. And there are clear New Testament
senses of the name being used in that sense. And so in that
sense, one would argue that it’s not a name, but the name, the
great name of God, very common Hebrew title, denoting office
and rank and dignity, that that’s what God bestowed upon him. That’s possible. I don’t think
that’s the case. Some said it was Lord. Paul doesn’t
say it immediately what the name was, as one describes, but from
what follows later on, we can deduce that the highest of all
names was that which was indicated on Christ’s sovereign lordship,
the name Lord. A name in which is focused his
power and dignity and authority and honor and dominion, and that’s
a stab at it. It’s possible. Another suggested, though, that
it’s this this sense of his personal name, Jesus, that seems to meet
all the conditions for what name is being bestowed here. And it
was bestowed by God. Matthew one twenty one. She will
bear a son. You shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people from his sins. Is that the name that
God bestowed on Christ, the name above all names? Another, you have just about
every, as I said, every suggestion known. But one argument suck out most
notably, and it’s simply this, whether the name should mean
dignity or have its literal signification has been disputed, many assign
it the former sense, dignity and majesty, giving emphasis
to the word. As when we say He has made a
name for Himself, and we use it to this day in that sense,
that God really gave Jesus a name renowned for what He had done. There are many high names, but
this name is higher than all of them. No name is equal to
it. All are beneath it and all without exception. What then
is the name? It’s not the title Son of God.
It’s not the title Lord, nor is it God, nor even Christ. But
the context shows that the person who bears this name is Jesus
and who for his high function is termed Lord. The name referred
to, therefore, is Jesus and the appellation Lord, which every
tongue with which every tongue is to greet him in his universal
sovereignty. We have this common drift in
our society today. I challenged our flock. I challenge
you to do the same. I’m not against some of the more
contemporary music. I’m not necessarily against the
stations that play the contemporary music, but listen. Listen to
what they use in reference to the deity. They will regularly
speak of God. I don’t know that a single case
I’ve ever heard them say, the Lord Jesus Christ. And how often the music because
of that becomes distilled and we speak of God. We falter for speaking of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and he is the one who is high and lifted up. There’s a third element that
I want to consider this morning. The Father’s glorification of
the Son is in view in this passage. The Father exalted the Lord Jesus
Christ, first of all, for humility, secondly, with honor, but thirdly,
unto homage. Unto homage. The whole purpose of this was
designed to elicit universal praise. That’s the purpose of
this exaltation. Look again, if you would, at
the passage, therefore, God, pardon me, therefore, also God
highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above
every name that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. of those who are in heaven and
on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the
Father.” It’s worship. That’s the whole purpose of everything
that God did here. It is to bring the entirety of
creation to knees of worship. Look at this first clause, verse
10, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. The whole
purpose of this exaltation of Jesus is simply expressed by
this one little verse. What does it mean that all creation
is to bow to him or that all creation essentially is to worship
him? Before the revealed majesty of
the Lord Jesus Christ, all creation is called to bow in worship of
him. Secondly, look at the indicator there that
at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow that little bending
the knee. It’s often in Scripture, a metaphor for reverence or worship
or prayer to bow the knee in the name of Jesus, then is to
pay adoration in that sphere or authority of grace and glory,
which the name stands. So to bow in the name of Jesus
is to bow in reverence of him. That kneeling, the bowing is
a posture of worship and homage. Psalm 95, 6, come, let us worship
and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord,
our maker. And that’s exactly why Paul uses
that imagery. It is an image of abject worship. A falling on our face. Isaiah 45, 23, I have sworn by
myself, the word has gone forth from my mouth in righteousness.
I will not turn back to me that pardon me that to me every knee
will bow. Every tongue will swear allegiance. This is God and God is demanding
that all creation give Christ his due and he is due worship. Romans 14.11, it is written,
as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every
tongue shall give praise to God. The meaning here can only be
that Christ is presented before us all as an object of worship. And His claim to that very honor
is fixed and established by none other than God Himself. And that
before His incarnation, He was already on equality with God.
And after His incarnation, He has been exalted to the right
hand of God to a place of absolute deity and worship. And that is
our only response. Every knee shall bow. And that produces a problem sometimes
with people, especially unbelievers are surprised and disturbed by
this little piece of news that one day they will be called to
worship a God which they never have in this life. But it says
all creation, all creation is going to render homage whether
animate or inanimate or in heaven or on earth or under the earth.
Every knee shall bow. Angels redeemed human beings. We’re going to do this with great
joy and we’re going to do it forever. The rest of them are going to
do it. But they’re going to do it with bitterness of heart and
remorse and hatred But so great will be His glory that they will
feel compelled to bow their knees and to render Him worship. Look
at verse 10 again, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should
bow of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
And the question immediately arises, does this include inanimate
creation as well? The rocks, the hills, the trees. The words plainly here evidently
mean all created existence, It’s heights and depths. You don’t
have to necessarily make all these distinctions. God’s calling
everything to worship Christ. Angels, men, everyone. But the words most appropriately
point to all intelligent beings. Although In Scripture, we do
have this thought of inanimate objects worshiping God. Psalm
148, to praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his hosts, praise
him, sun and moon, praise him, all stars of light, praise him,
highest heavens and the waters that are above the heavens. Psalm
148, 7 through 12, Psalm 65, 13. They shout for joy. Yes, they
sing. The meadows clothed with flocks
raising their voices to God. In just the same way that the
psalmist calls on everything that God has made, the angels,
the sun, the moon, the stormy wind, fruit trees, cedars, beasts,
cattle, creeping things, flying birds, young men, maidens, old
men, everybody praise the Lord. But I think what is in view here
is what we would call the rational creation. Those are the ones
for whom it matters. Those are the ones with souls.
The whole world of spirits and men. That’s what’s in view. And
that bowing the knee and confessing the tongue, if you will, since knees don’t
have trees, I take this whole thing to mean that it’s animate
creation. Men and angels. Those are the
ones in focus. the rational beings of the world. And that every tongue, look at
verse 11, should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory
of God the Father. That confess, that word confess
has in biblical Greek almost a resigned meaning to an open
testimony or a vowel to praise and thanksgiving And so every tongue here, Paul
says, is to give thanks for his great glory because of the exaltation
that he has bestowed on the Lord Jesus Christ. We often use this
word confess in a sense with agreeing with someone. But someday
the entire universe is going to agree with God regarding the
testimony that he has given here regarding his son. But the verb
also can be construed to mean thanks or open and joyful acknowledgement. And one day everyone, everyone
on this earth, just as they should, will open and freely confess
and give thanks for the Lord Jesus. And as one said, this will be
done willingly or unwillingly. Whether through a joyful surrender
to his grace or through the experience of his wrath and the conviction
of an utter overthrow, all moral beings in heaven and earth and
on hell shall bow the knee to Christ and confess him as Lord.
And all of this goes to God’s glory. God designed this for
worship. God exalted Jesus Christ because
of his humility. He did it by honoring his name.
And one day the entire creation will worship God because of it.
Let’s start with us. Let’s pray. Our merciful God, we thank you
for such a glorious illustration of humility, that of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And we thank you that we are
of a people that knows and already openly acknowledges this exalted
Lord, our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. We lift him up. We praise him. We thank you for
him. We glorify you because of what
you’ve done in and through your son. We thank you and praise
you in Jesus name. Amen. It’s.