Philippians 2 | The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann

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[00:00:01][music] All right, here we go. Philippians chapter 2 from the New King James Version. The Apostle Paul writing here.

[00:00:12]And here's what he says. Therefore, if there is any consolation, that would be like comfort. If there's any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. But in loneliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. So notice here Paul is saying, "Hey, fulfill my joy by being like this." Well, what is like this? By not being like typical human beings who all are opinionated. They have their own way of doing things. They'll stay in unity as long as everybody agrees. You know, that's really the the test of unity.

[00:01:09]It's not when you do agree that we can see whether or not you're in unity. It's when you disagree. Then we find out, are you going to stay in unity even though you don't see eye to eye with that other person? And so Paul says, "Hey, fulfill my joy. Fulfill my joy." See, he's writing as a father. He's writing as one who loves the Philippians. And he's saying this. He's saying when you are opinionated, when you're uh bickering among one another, when you're criticizing one another and it stops the flow of the Holy Spirit and that's the truth, then Paul said, "Well, that I don't get any joy out of that. I don't care how smart you are. I don't care how eloquent or articulate you are. Oh, what I get joy out of is when you love each other and you walk in unity. That doesn't mean that we don't discuss things and share contrary views. No, we need to do that. That's how we grow.

[00:02:08]That's how we learn. That's how we understand one another. That's good communication. But Paul said, "But be likeminded. Be walk in love. Walk in unity together. And don't let anything be done through selfish ambition." What is selfish ambition? That's ambition to promote self. And boy, I tell you what, every one of us have that. And we have to keep that in check and say, "Stop that. This is not about you talking to yourself. It's not about you." Or conceit. But have loneliness of mind.

[00:02:40]Let each esteem others better than himself. The problem is often our own flesh and our own carnal minds. We don't see others better than ourselves. We see ourselves better than others. But he said, "Regardless of how you would see it, esteem others better than yourself.

[00:02:57]Give them preference. Give them honor."

[00:02:59]See, this is these are traits of the fruit of the spirit. This is not the fruit of the flesh. This is what Paul said in Galatians 5. These are the attributes, the characteristics of the Holy Spirit. Even Jesus himself humbled himself and became a servant even washing the disciples feet. What was he doing? He was saying, "Let me wash your feet. Let me serve you." See, if Jesus can do it, certainly we can do that. And Paul's calling the Philippian church.

[00:03:29]And guess what? The Holy Spirit's calling us to be this kind of a person, to be people who serve and not ones who are always in demand to be served. And so, notice he goes on to say, "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." It's easy to look out for number one, but he's saying don't only look out for number one. Look out for one another. Be attentive to the needs of one another. Notice when other people are hurting, suffering, lacking, etc. And then we get to this powerful passage that uh oh, I've quoted it so many times, studied it so many times, but listen to this. He he gets down to the best example that we have of this kind of life of humility of servantthood and such. He said this let this mind be in you in which uh let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. In other words, let Jesus be your example. Okay.

[00:04:31]So what does he say? who talking of Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. In other words, he being in the form of God. Of course, when he was in heaven, he did not have a human physical body like he received, you know, when he was born as a baby in Bethlehem. He was in the form of God. And he didn't consider robbery to be equal with God.

[00:04:57]Well, why not? Well, because Jesus is God. God is three persons. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And those three persons make up one God. That's the trinity.

[00:05:09]That's the triune God. But uh Jesus is God. The Father's God, Jesus [clears throat] is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. So that's why he didn't consider it robbery to be equal with God. But notice this. In other words, even though Jesus was equal to father God, equal to Holy Spirit, notice this.

[00:05:31]But he made himself of no reputation. He made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondervant and coming coming where? Coming to earth, coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even even the death of the cross. Now watch this. in in this passage is a very key oh component and this is this when it says he made himself of no reputation. This in the Greek is he emptied himself. Well, what did he empty himself of? Somebody said, "Well, it's reputation." Yes, but he emptied himself of more than just notoriety. He emptied himself of certain divine abilities, characteristics of God. For example, uh Jesus has always been God omniresent. In other words, he's everywhere at the same time. But did you know when he took on the form of a human being as it says here that he relinquished his omniresence? Oh yes, he did. That's why you never read in the Gospels. And Jesus was uh in Capernaum up at on the north uh western shore of Galilee and he was healing a blind man.

[00:06:51]But he was also down teaching in Jerusalem in the south. No, you never saw Jesus in two places at the same time. Why is that? Because Jesus became like us. He became a human being like us. And he is only in one place at one time. Okay? So his omniresence was no longer a characteristic that he had. He emptied himself of that. Well, what else did he empty himself of? He emptied himself, listen to this, of his omnipotence. his omnipresence but also his omnipotence, his all powerfulness.

[00:07:27]In other words, as God, well, he's got all power. But when he became a human being, he willingly relinquished that to become like us. And a lot of people don't realize it. They think the healings of Jesus, the miracles of Jesus happened because he's God. So, he can just do whatever he wants to whenever he wants to. But it's not true. It's not true. It doesn't bear out in the scripture. It's unscriptural to believe that though most people believe it. No, Jesus just couldn't go around and do anything he wanted to. Let me give you one big example. The Bible says in Mark chapter 6 that when he went to Nazareth, his hometown, when he started his ministry, and he went and preached in Nazareth, it says he could not do a mighty work there because of their unbelief. It didn't say he would not. It said he could not do a mighty work there because of their unbelief. So notice Jesus just can't go around doing whatever he wants. And and Jesus didn't have the practice of just going around and seeing sick people and patting everybody and they had heal, heal, heal, heal, healed. The normal practice of Jesus was that he preached the word of God. It brought faith to people's hearts and then people came with faith to be healed. And so often he would say, "Your faith has made you well." Well, where did they get that faith? Well, Romans 10:17. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So Jesus would preach the word, build their faith, and then they could receive the message and the power of God, the healing that the Lord was speaking that the Jesus was preaching to them about.

[00:08:57]See, and so that was his normal practice. But there were some exceptions to that in his ministry to where people had not even heard the man at the pools of Bethesda. He had never even heard, didn't know who Jesus was. And Jesus walked up to him. You want to be healed?

[00:09:12]And he said, I don't have anybody to put me in the water. And he said, rise, take up your bed, and walk. the guy was healed that day. That was a manifestation of the spirit. That didn't happen through the hearing of faith as Paul taught us in Galatians. No, that happened by the gifts of the spirit, the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. See, and that did happen, but that was the exception. The majority of people were healed in the ministry of Jesus by him preaching the word and then having faith and coming to receive. So he emptied himself of his omn omnipresence uh being everywhere at once. He emptied himself of his omnipotence having all power but he also emptied himself of his omniscience. And oh a lot of people don't like to believe this but it's absolutely true. In other words Jesus being God has always known everything known everything. But when he became a human being he relinquished the knowing of everything. So a lot of people think he just, you know, as a little baby, you know, 6 months old, he was omnisient.

[00:10:12]He, you know, he's looking at his parents and having full conversations.

[00:10:16]Well, that is unscriptural. That's not true. In fact, many times in the Gospels, the Bible say he perceived their thoughts. Well, you can't you can't perceive something that you already knew. No, perceiving is it's something that would was not evident, not known, not obvious, but you perceive something. And uh and the Bible says that a number of times about Jesus when the woman with the flow of blood came and got a hold of his garment and Jesus stopped and said, "Who touched me?" And they they said, "Well, a lot of people are touching." He said, "No, somebody touched me. I felt power go out." Well, he wasn't playing a game like, "Well, I really know who it is, but I'm just playing a game and asking you who is it." No, he really didn't know who it was. See, and and but the real clincher, if you want to get right down to it, in my opinion, is when uh Jesus said, "No one knows the day or the hour that the son of man is coming back." Talking of the second coming, "No one knows the day or the hour that the son of man is coming back." And he said, "Not even the son of man." So he said, "I don't even know the exact day, but that's left in the father's authority." Well, let me just tell you something in case you didn't know it. If there's one thing you don't know, then you don't know everything. So, he could not have been omnisient and known everything if he's admitting readily that he doesn't even know what day or hour, but the father knows. See, so there's now this separation between what the father knows and what Jesus knows. And that's why Jesus willingly did this. He relinquished those abilities willingly to become like us. Now, what did he do?

[00:11:53]Well, of course, he died on the cross as a real human being and an innocent one to take our place for our sins, but also the model of his life and ministry was a model of a real human being instead of us saying, "Well, we can never be like the Lord." Because I mean, he had he knew everything. He had all power, you know, he could be everywhere at once.

[00:12:14]No, he couldn't. See, he relinquished those things to be an example for us. So that we could see what a human being with those limitations could do and be if we would be submitted to the father in alignment with God, listening to the voice of God, being obedient to God, being filled with the Holy Spirit. And here's another point, by the way, when I hit this. The Bible says in Luke 4, Jesus was filled with the spirit. He was led by the spirit. In the 14th verse says that he was empowered. He returned to Galilee uh in the power of the spirit. Not notice not the power of the son of God but in the power of the spirit. See so uh Paul says here let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. He was he was like God but he emptied himself and became like us. And not only did he become like us as a human being, but it says he went further than that and he became a bondervant.

[00:13:15]What is that? A a servant that decides to stay a servant. He became a bondervant to us. Uh taking the form of a bondervant coming in the likeness of men. And then look at verse eight. and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself even further and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross, even the horrible death. Of course, everybody that Paul is writing to knows exactly what that means, the death of the cross, Roman crucifixion, horrific, painful, torture, I mean, horrible. And Paul says he humbled himself to be to go from being God to being creator to being one of the created. See, but then he humbled himself further to become a servant to people. But then he humbled himself further to die. And he humbled himself further to even die the death of Roman crucifixion. Paul said this. He said, and then notice the whole context. Let that mind be in you that you know other you could raise yourself up and be you know educated and come across like you're uh smarter than other people and such but he said no look what look at what Jesus did let this mind be in you humble yourself put yourself down let others be lifted up not yourself because that's what Jesus did for us and what did it do for by him doing that we all were lifted and he said, "Let that mind be in you. You put yourself down so that others can be lifted because then we'll be like the Lord." Isn't that a precious passage, so powerful. But notice this.

[00:14:53]It's not finished yet. That little powerful passage. I got to move quickly here because there's so many things I'd love to get to in this chapter, but I don't want to take all day. But notice this. It says, "He became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Verse N. Therefore, because he humbled himself, put himself down.

[00:15:13]Therefore, God also has highly exalted him. Oh, see, he put himself way low and therefore God has exalted him way high.

[00:15:24]Isn't that what the Bible tells us?

[00:15:26]Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up. Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. Jesus said, "He who humbles himself will be exalted, but he who exalts himself will be humbled." Well, Jesus humbled himself and Father God responded by highly exalting him.

[00:15:44]Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. Of those in heaven, notice these three places, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those under the earth. That'll tell you where hell is under the earth. All the demonic spirits and all of that. And so those under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God. Notice that doesn't diminish the glory of father God. No. Because God's the one that highly exalted him and gave him that name. That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

[00:16:39]Notice, work out your own salvation, but do it with fear and trembling. Don't just say, "Well, the way I see it, well, the well, look, what does God's word say, man? Make sure that you're in alignment with God. Do it with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure." I just love that God works in you both to will and to do. Both to want to do it and to do it. Oh Lord, work inside of us today to not only want to uh be obedient to the word of God, but also that we follow through and that we're obedient. And it goes on to say for his good pleasure that we may please you, Lord. And then verse 14, do all things without complaining. Oh, we ought to we ought to just underline that. Do all things without complaining and disputing. Do all things without complaining and disputing that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. What does that mean? That's the way this world is. Complaining, disputing. He's saying, "Don't don't be like that, but be like God, children of God, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." He said in the day of Jesus, when he comes back, he said, "I want to rejoice that you walk like this and not like everybody else in the world."

[00:18:12]He goes on to say in verse 17, "Yes, and if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason, you also be glad and rejoice with me." This is toward the end of Paul's life. He's in prison and he knows he can't go and and do all the things that he used to do.

[00:18:33]And so, what is this? Paul's saying, "If if I'm poured out as a drink offering, that's okay with me." Well, what's a drink offering? Well, you know, you got the meat, the sacrifice, and all that, and a drink offering just poured out. That's it. What does it do?

[00:18:47]Just bring a little flavor, maybe a little odor, a sweet smell to the sacrifice. But Paul said, "Hey, if I'm just a drink offering and my life is just poured out, that's fine. But let me let me at least be a drink offering." He has laid his life down for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he's calling them to do the same. Verse 18. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. But I trust in the Lord, the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know of your state. Back in those days, you can't just write emails back and forth or look on Facebook, but you'd actually have to send people to bring messages and to bring messages in return. For I have no one like-minded who will sincerely care for your state.

[00:19:38]For all seek their own. Paul said, "Man, even some of my companions." They're they're just not paying attention like I'm paying attention, but Timothy is.

[00:19:47]They all seek their own. Not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character that as a son with his father, he served with me in the gospel. Talking of Timothy. Therefore, I hope to send him at once uh send him at once as soon as I see how it goes with me. But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Apaproditis, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need, since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost to death. But God had mercy on him and not only on him but also on me lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Paul's saying if he would have died that would have been tough on me because he's such a blessing and a partner of mine in ministry. Verse 18, therefore I sent him the more eagerly that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less sorrowful.

[00:20:51]Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold, listen to this, hold such men in esteem, because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

[00:21:06]Paul said, uh, Philippians, you you weren't able to supply my needs and to help me. And he worked and worked and worked and stretched and stretched and apparently worked so hard that he became ill even to the point of death because he was trying to help the man of God. He was trying to serve the ministry and such. And Paul didn't get on his case and say, "Well, the guy's over. He's not balanced. He's got a problem." No, that's not what Paul did. Paul said, "He did that for the sake of the gospel, for the sake of ministry, to help me with what I was doing." Because Paul said, "I'm laying my life down, too, working hard." And he stepped up and he worked so hard. He he uh made himself so sick to the point of death. And notice what Paul says. Paul didn't say, "Rebuke such people for getting out of balance in their life." Now, I'm not I know we should uh take care of ourselves and all that, but notice he said he said hold that person and people like this in high esteem. Why? Because they're stretching, they're giving, they're sacrificing. And I think this is a good word for us that sometimes we look down on people some when they're sacrificing for the sake of the gospel because we've got, you know, balance and all that in our life that we should take care of ourselves. And we know these things, but when somebody goes the extra mile or two or three or four, we shouldn't get on their case.

[00:22:35]Paul says, hold them in esteem. Look at what they're doing and why they're doing it and hold them in great esteem because this person was helpful. This person came through when it counted. Praise God. Oh, I know a lot of people like that, by the way. Mighty men and mighty women in the faith. Well, I've enjoyed being with you today. This is a powerful chapter. We went a little long today, but it was worth it.